Postgraduate Open Day
25th February 2009
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet staff in academic departments,
find out about Swanseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s postgraduate scholarships and bursaries, meet
current postgraduate students, and tour the campus and postgraduate facilities.
To book your place, or for information about other visit opportunities visit:
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/opendays

02

Contents
Welcome 04

Meet Elizabeth Morgan 25

Swansea University 06

Supporting your studies 26

Staff Excellence 08

Living in Swansea 30

Finding the right course 10

Adore the Arts? 36

Taught Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degrees 13

Serious about Sport? 38

International Students 14

Meet Nina Skubala 40

Meet Omar Obeidat 18

Courses A-Z 41-137

Fees and Scholarships 20

How to Apply 140

Accommodation 22

Where Everything is 142

The Future 24

The Alumni Association 144

Welcome

As a hugely ambitious, research-led University, Swansea
offers an exciting and stimulating environment in which to
study as a postgraduate student.
The quality and significance of our research continue to grow,
our collaborative links with industry are amongst the strongest
in the UK, and the employability of our graduates is
significantly above the UK benchmark.
Factor in our award-winning student experience and unrivalled
location, and it comes as no surprise to learn that our students find
their time in Swansea both life and career-enhancing.

04

Welcome
As a postgraduate student, you will be an important part of our academic
community, and we encourage you to be involved in all aspects of university
life. In doing so, you will gain personally and professionally from the vibrant
and creative atmosphere on campus, and in turn will help to develop the
challenging environment in which our research and scholarship flourishes.
I am delighted that you are considering postgraduate study at Swansea
University, and I hope that you choose to further your studies with us.
We look forward to welcoming you on campus.

Professor Richard B Davies
Vice-Chancellor

Winner of the inaugural Times
Higher Education Award for the UK's
Best Student Experience.

Swansea University is the perfect environment in which to combine

your studies with a superb quality of life.
Founded in 1920, we are a traditional university with a long history of
academic success, excellent facilities and high standards of teaching.
Our location gives you all the benefits of city life as well as the
advantages of living by the sea. The picturesque Gower Peninsula and
several award-winning parks are close at hand, making us one of the
best places to study in the UK.

06

Swansea University
Our strengths in science,
engineering, and medicine are
complemented by expertise in
business, law, the arts and
humanities. Our Schools attract
world leaders in their subjects,
giving you access to some of the
latest and most innovative ideas in
your field, and 92% of our
academic staff are involved in
research of international or
national significance.

We recognise the importance
of linking with industry and
commerce, and our many
successes and ground-breaking
research projects in the fields of
science and technology have a
direct impact on our society.
We are currently working with
over 150 businesses, including
world-leading multinational
companies such as IBM,
Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems,
Airbus, Ericsson and Sony.

At the same time, our welcoming
campus has a friendly, close-knit
appeal that makes it easy to build
the kind of working relationships
that may be more difficult at
larger institutions.

“A hot contender for any ‘best campus’ award
going, Swansea is virtually unparalleled for its
location. It sits in parkland overlooking the
Swansea Bay, on the edge of the stunning
Gower Peninsula.”
The Guardian University Guide 2008

The University is structured into ten Schools, each with a strong
commitment to maintaining a high standard of teaching and
enhancing the learning environment for all students. Research
underpins the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teaching and ensures the high
quality of academic courses.

08

Staff excellence
As a modern, research-led university,
Swansea is committed to undertaking
world-class work that genuinely makes
a difference. There is a strong link
between research and economic
prosperity: innovation and
development create real wealth and
the role of the academic community
is to constantly challenge convention,
seeking better alternatives and new
ways of confronting issues and
problems. The University places great
value on working with a wide range
of partners to confront real issues,
sparking ideas that improve the
knowledge economy as well as
impacting on economic regeneration.

Increasingly, the major academic
advances are being made at the
boundaries between traditional
disciplines, giving a campus university
like Swansea a distinct advantage.
The University has created conditions
in which research flourishes: the
School structure enables a more
focused approach to research,
enhancing communication on
important research issues, and the
University is constantly adapting its
academic portfolio in response to
changes in the external environment
and taking all opportunities to
strengthen its research. Students

benefit from working closely with
academic staff who are actively
engaged in excellent teaching as well
as groundbreaking research. Over
180 new academic appointments
have been made since 2004, creating
an exciting blend of staff who already
have an international profile and are
leaders in their research field and
younger staff who have shown their
potential for academic excellence.

that not all programmes offer this exit
qualification). Specific regulations apply.

Taught Programmes
The University offers a range of Taught
Master’s including the MA, MSc, LLM
and MBA. These Master’s degrees are
modular in structure and students must
obtain a total of 180 credits to qualify
for the degree: 120 credits from taught
modules (Part I) and 60 credits from
the dissertation (Part II). Candidates
must successfully complete Part I before
being allowed to progress to Part II.

What can you study?
Taught Master’s, Postgraduate Diplomas
and Postgraduate Certificates can be
studied on a full-time or part-time basis in
a wide variety of subject areas. For a full
list of options available see page 13.

Taught Master’s programmes contain
built-in research and methodology skills
courses, and specific departmental
training courses, which are essential
for students both at Master’s level or
for those wishing to go onto higher
degrees. Additional specialised
training courses are also available
during the academic year.
Some Taught Master’s programmes
offer Postgraduate Diplomas and
Postgraduate Certificates as exit
qualifications. To qualify for a
Postgraduate Diploma, students must
pursue 120 credits, or 60 credits for a
Postgraduate Certificate (please note

Finding the right course

Students can pursue taught
postgraduate courses in the same
subject as their undergraduate degree
or, in many cases, outside it: many of
our courses are multidisciplinary in
nature and allow students to cross
boundaries between traditional subject
areas and to follow courses outside
their first degree subject. In addition,
conversion-style courses - available in
Law, Business, Computer Science and
Engineering – are open to graduates
of any subject.
Is a Master’s degrees right for
you?
Yes, if you want to:
• Prepare for a research degree
• Acquire new and specialised
research skills
• Enhance your career prospects

• Develop your subject knowledge of
your first degree subject
• Study an entirely new subject
Research Degrees
PhD
PhD students undertake supervised
research either independently or as
member of a team. Assessment is by
means of a thesis of no more than
100,000 words which must
demonstrate a student’s capacity to
pursue original research and should
represent a distinct and significant
contribution to the subject. The first year
of registration for a PhD is a period of
official probation, requiring
departmental assessment before the
candidate is allowed to proceed.
MPhil
This degree is awarded to candidates
who have successfully completed
approved and supervised research,
and presented the results in a thesis of
not more than 60,000 words. In some
cases, there may be opportunities for
students to upgrade from the degree to
PhD during the course of their studies.

MRes
The aim of the MRes (Master of
Research) is to provide relevant
training to acquire the knowledge,
techniques and understanding needed
for a professional career, or for
progression to higher academic
studies, normally a PhD. The MRes is
gained by a combination of taught
modules (worth 60 credits) and a
research thesis which presents the
outcome of a significant research
project (worth120 credits).
EngD
The Engineering Doctorate aims to
prepare engineering students for
research careers in industry and is fully
supported by the Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council.
This four-year scheme consists of oneyear of taught modules followed by an
industry-linked research project. For
further information see page 64.
MD
In addition to the PhD, the School of
Medicine offers the postgraduate
degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD)
through supervised research within
individual research groups.

What can you study?
PhD and MPhil degrees can be pursued
on any academic topic, as long as we
have the expertise to guide and
supervise your study. Information about
the research specialisms of each
department can be found on the
relevant department pages of this
prospectus or on the University website.
This will give you a broad idea of the
kinds of topics we are able to supervise.
You are then advised to contact the
Postgraduate Admissions Tutor to
discuss your proposed research.
Is a research degree right
for you?
Yes, if you want to:
• Pursue a career in academia
or research
• Explore an individual topic in depth
• Acquire extensive and specialised
research skills
• Enhance your career prospects
Postgraduate Research Faculty
The Postgraduate Research Faculty
is concerned with the welfare of
research students and ensures
that they get the support and
feedback they need.
Contact: postgradoffice@swansea.ac.uk

Finding the right course

Whether you are looking for a taught course or a research degree, you’ll
find it at Swansea. This section guides you through the opportunities we offer.

• Research skills
• Academic writing
• Innovation skills
• Time and project management
• Enterprise training
• Intellectual property rights
• Teaching skills
• Employability
The University has a policy of
encouraging students to develop
exploitable ideas, and the Research
and Innovation Office on campus can
advise you on entrepreneurship.
Part-time Postgraduate Studies
Applicants for part-time research or
taught courses are advised to contact
the relevant department in advance
of making a formal application to
ensure that part-time study options
will be available.

12

Part-time Masters students pay the fulltime fee for the degree, but the amount
is divided over the minimum years of
study. Those undertaking part-time
research studies, however, will be
required to pay half the standard
annual full-time fee in each of the
minimum candidature years of study.
Credit Transfer
The University offers the possibility of
credit transfer for research at the same
academic level, undertaken at another
academic institution, but for which no
award has already been made.
Postgraduate Certificates
These are stand-alone certificates:
• Advanced Clinical Practice (Infection
Control)
• Approved Mental Health Professional
• Chronic Condition Management
• Computer Modelling and Finite
Elements in Engineering Mechanics
• Development and Human Rights
• Health Informatics
• Migration and International
Development
• Social Development and
Communication
• Social Development and Conflict

The Faculty also coordinates a
comprehensive generic skills
development programme comprising
research activity days and a wide
range of skills short courses. A personal
skills development plan is devised for
each student at the beginning of their
programme to ensure that they are able
to develop the specialised skills required
to complete their programme of studies.
Courses cover areas such as:

Aerospace Engineering, MSc 64

Why study at Swansea?
The University won the UK’s first Times
Higher Education Supplement Award
for the best student experience in
2005/06 and was shortlisted again
in 2006/07.
Swansea’s Careers Service supports
international students with workshops
and seminars on how to improve
career prospects, how to get part-time
jobs or work experience, how to
improve interview techniques, and
much more. A unique job scheme,
Go Wales, has provided thousands
of vacation jobs to students over the
life of the programme.
Swansea University strives to provide
all students with the best student
experience:
• Swansea University enjoys a
spectacular beachfront location close
to the City Centre
• Consistent high ranking in the UK
university guides and league tables
• Scholarships and bursaries
are available

• The International Office provides a
fast response service to all enquiries
• The Admissions Office is committed
to processing applications as quickly
as possible
• Support documents are issued
quickly for visa applications
• Guaranteed University-managed
accommodation at some of the
lowest costs in the UK*
• A free Meet and Greet Service at
London’s Heathrow Airport
• The International Student Advisory
Service provides an orientation
programme for new students
and advice concerning visas,
accommodation, finance, and
much more
• The Students’ Union and Athletics
Union are among the largest in the
UK with nearly 120 clubs and
societies providing a great range of
social, sporting and cultural activities

• Highly advanced library and
information systems with over
1,800 computers on the campus
for student use
• A free wireless communication
network across the campus and
throughout University
accommodation
• International student support from
enquiry to graduation is one of
Swansea University’s biggest assets.
After graduating, international
students are encouraged to join
Swansea Alumni and become an
International Ambassador for the
University (www.swansea.ac.uk/
international/Contacts)
• Swansea is a safe and friendly
City with many local voluntary
organisations providing countless
social and cultural activities for
international students
• Winner of the “UK’s Best Mosque
Provision” award from the
Federation of Islamic Students
in 2006/07
* Application deadlines and offer conditions
must be met in order to guarantee
accommodation.

14

Welcoming the world to Swansea

Admission
For the fastest response to your
application, please use the online
application system: On-Track
(www.swansea.ac.uk/international/
apply). Candidates should provide all
requested information, giving relevant
details of qualifications, the course
or area of research, two references,
and details of financial sponsorship.
It is also helpful to include with the
application evidence of English
language, e.g. JMB, Cambridge
Proficiency, IELTS
or TOEFL result.
English Language Courses
The University recognises that students
from other countries whose first
language is not English may need
additional information and support
during the application process, as well
as during their period of study here.
English Language Training Services
(ELTS) provides a variety of English
language programmes for international
students both before and during their
postgraduate studies. Students who do
not meet the required English language

We recommend all international
students whose first language is
not English to attend a 5-week
pre-sessional course to familiarise
themselves with using English for
Academic Purposes on a daily basis.

Pre-Master’s Programme
The Pre-Master’s Programme (PMP)
is designed for students whose
qualifications mean that an extra
year's study is required to gain entry
onto a generalist Master’s Degree in
Management at Swansea University
(www.swansea.ac.uk/international/
courses/Pre-MastersManagement
Programme)

For students who have already
enrolled on a degree programme,
there are free daily Academic
English Language Support classes
in grammar, speaking and
writing workshops.

Accommodation
Priority is given to international
students for University postgraduate
accommodation. A summary of the
main types of accommodation is
given on page 22.

entry level for their degree programme
can attend a course in English for
Academic Purposes for up to 12 months.

Swansea University extends a warm welcome to international students. In 2007/08,
over 1,200 students from 106 different countries studied at the University.

Scholarships and Awards for
International Students
Please visit the International Office
website for details:
www.swansea.ac.uk/international
/money
• International Scholarships and
Bursaries for Undergraduate and
Postgraduate study
• Postgraduate Alumni Bursary:
available to international students
who have completed a full-time
scheme of study at Swansea
University and who wish to return for
postgraduate study
• Departmental and School
Scholarships also available.
Contact the Education Ministry of your
own government or your nearest British
Council office (www.britishcouncil.org)
for advice about the types of funding
available to international students
wishing to study in the UK.

16

Overseas Research Students
Awards Scheme (ORSAS)
www.orsas.ac.uk
The ORSAS scheme pays the
difference between home and
international fees. Candidates must
hold an offer from Swansea University
to study for a research degree before
their application will be considered.
For further details contact:
Overseas Research Students Awards
Scheme, Woburn House,
20 Tavistock Square,
London, WC1H 9HQ
Tel: +44 (0)20 7419 5499
Fax: +44 (0)20 7383 4573
British Chevening Scholarships
www.chevening.com
The Foreign and Commonwealth
Office provides support to international
students through its British Chevening
Scholarships. These assist able students
to study in the UK and to gain skills
that will benefit their countries. Awards
are usually made for postgraduate
Diploma/Master’s courses and are
tenable for up to one year.
Candidates for British Chevening
Scholarships are selected by the
British Embassy or High Commission
in the applicant’s own country. The
scholarships are administered

overseas and in the UK by the British
Council on behalf of the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office.
For further details contact:
British Chevening Scholarships
Education Affairs Section,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
London, SW1A 2AH
Tel: +44 (0)20 7270 1500
Commonwealth Scholarship
and Fellowship Plan (CSFP)
www.csfp-online.org
CSFP awards are for candidates in
Commonwealth countries or British
overseas territories who qualify for
postgraduate study (taught course
or research).
Scholarships are advertised by the
Ministry of Education in the
candidate’s own country. Applications
are made to the Commonwealth
Scholarship Commission.
For further details contact:
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission
Association of Commonwealth
Universities, John Foster House
36 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PF
Tel: +44 (0)20 7380 6700
Fax: +44 (0)20 7387 2655

Welcoming the world to Swansea

British Marshall Scholarships
www.marshallscholarship.org
Funded by the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office for students
from the USA.
For further details contact either:
British Information Services
845 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022, USA
or
Marshall Aid Commemoration
Commission
John Foster House, 36 Gordon Square,
London, WC1H 0PF
Tel: +44 (0)20 7380 6700
Fax: +44 (0)20 7387 2655
North American Student
Funding
Swansea University is a participating
institution in the US Government
Federal Loan Programme.
Swansea's school code is: G08586
For more information, please refer to:
www.swansea.ac.uk/international
/money
James Callaghan Scholarships
See page 21 for further details.

* Please note that the fees shown
above are for entry during the
2008/09 session and are intended as
a guide only. The 2009/10 fees will
be determined in early 2009 and will
be published on the website at:
www.swansea.ac.uk/international/
money/ScholarshipsandFees/
InternationalTuitionFees
To find out more, please contact:
International Office
Swansea University, Singleton Park,
Swansea, SA2 8PP, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295818
Fax: +44 (0)1792 295839
Email: international@swansea.ac.uk
www.swansea.ac.uk/international

International students

International Student
Advisory Service (ISAS)
ISAS is part of Student Services and
provides information, advice and
support for international students and
their families throughout their time in
Swansea. Please see page 28 for
further details.

Why did you choose Swansea for
your Postgraduate study?
Swansea University has a great reputation.
The University has a Masjed (Mosque) on
the campus that allows me, as a Muslim
student, to practise. I was also attracted by
the beautiful sea views and the reputation
Swansea has for being a friendly place.
What do you think of the facilities?
As a research student at the department of
Politics and International Relations, I found
that the University offers tremendous
research facilities with great supervision
from the departmental professors. The
library and IT facilities are excellent.
Swansea has modern teaching methods
that provide an excellent environment in
which to study. Swansea has a rich
international culture and I soon joined
The Islamic Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Society.
What about the City of Swansea?
Swansea is renowned by international
students for its friendly, welcoming and
helpful people. Because of its sense of
community, Swansea has the vibe of a
big village yet it is really a large modern
city with a good range of shops, sights
and cafĂŠs.

18

Tell us about the support you receive?
The tutors offer great support and
supervision to all students. The International
Office has surely one of the best staff in the
UK; they are so helpful and supportive and
they really care about students.
Do you have any tips or advice
for prospective students?
Although you have plenty of support, I
would advise that you come prepared to
study independently as you need to drive
yourself to complete your studies. Meet
new people and expose yourself to new
experiences. Swansea is a great choice,
offering a low cost of living, a superb way
of life and great views!
Is there anything else you would
like to add?
One of the most challenging things a
new student has to do is to arrange their
accommodation and go through enrolment
procedures, but the welcoming week
programme run on arrival helps greatly
with this. Also, as a research student you
need to be prepared to fit into a busy
working environment.

Tuition Fees for Home/EU
Students*
The standard fees given below apply to
home and EU students for the 2008/09
session. They are fully inclusive of all
matriculation, registration, tuition,
examination and use of the Library. For
international student fees please see
page 17. The University also offers a
number of courses for which nonstandard fees apply. You are advised to
contact the Student Records Unit on +44
(0)1792 295803 to check the fee for
your chosen course.
Taught Courses
(Standard fee per annum)
Full-time course over 1 year – £3,300
Part-time course over 2 years – £1,650
Part-time course over 3 years – £1,100
Research Degrees
(Standard fee per annum)
Full-time per annum – £3,300
Part-time per annum – £1,650
*Please note that the fees shown
above are for entry during the
2008/09 session and are intended
as a guide only.

20

All fees are subject to revision on an
annual basis and the fees appropriate
for a session will be available in the
July preceding the start of the session.
Students are required to pay their fees,
or show evidence of sponsorship, at or
before enrolment. If you are selffinancing your studies, you may
arrange to pay in instalments.

further information. Your local University
Careers Office can also offer advice
and support, and a comprehensive
guide to postgraduate funding can be
found on the Graduate Prospects
website: www.prospects.ac.uk

Enquiries about tuition fee rates should
be directed to Student Records on
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295803.

Full Research Studentships (PhD)
These awards are available to students
from the UK/EU wishing to pursue
full-time research studies. The award
covers the UK home tuition fee and a
maintenance grant in the region of
£12,940 p.a.

Enquiries regarding the payment of
tuition fees should be directed to the
Finance Department on
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295436.
Financial Support
The majority of postgraduate courses are
not funded and therefore you will have
to make arrangements to secure funding
to cover your tuition fees and living
expenses. There is a wide range of
financial support open to postgraduates;
this ranges from Research Council
awards to loans. We also offer a
number of awards for both taught
masters and research degrees. You
will find a brief outline of the awards
available below but you will need to
write to the relevant agency to obtain

Fees and scholarships
Swansea University James
Callaghan Scholarships
These awards are available to students
from Commonwealth member countries
(including the UK) wishing to pursue
PhD or MPhil studies. The scholarships
will make a contribution towards tuition
fees and are available for full- and parttime studies. Applications are made
through the Head of Department and
applicants should contact the relevant
department to discuss the possibility of
being nominated for an award. Further
information about all of these awards,
together with details of how to apply
can be found on our website:
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate,
or by contacting the Postgraduate
Admissions Office on
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295358.

Financial Contingency Funds
UK postgraduate students who are
self-funded or partially funded may be
eligible for financial assistance from
the University’s Financial Contingency
Funds. For further information contact
moneyadvice@swansea.ac.uk

Scholarships, Bursaries and
Grants

Fees-Only Bursaries (PhD
or MPhil)
These awards are available to students
from the UK/EU wishing to pursue
full- or part-time research studies. The
award covers the UK home tuition fee.
Taught Master’s Bursaries
Each year the University offers over
150 bursaries to students from the
UK/EU wishing to pursue full- or
part-time Master’s studies. Each
award is worth £1,500 towards
fees (pro-rata for part-time).

Alternative Funding Sources
Career Development Loans
The UK Learning and Skills Council,
in conjunction with three high street
banks, operates this scheme to enable
students to finance themselves on a
course of study which is vocational in
nature. Further details can be obtained
on Tel: 0800 585505
www.direct.gov.uk/cdl
Charities, Foundations
and Trusts
There are a large number of charities,
foundations and trusts which will
award partial funding for postgraduate
study. Full details can be found in ‘The
Grants Register’ (published by
Palgrave Macmillan) and ‘The
Directory of Grant Making Trusts’
(published by the Charities Aid
Foundation), both of which should be
available in your University Careers
Service and local library.
Research Councils and
Funding Bodies
Applications should not normally be
submitted to the awarding body direct,
but through the university department
where you intend to study.

The awards listed on these pages are
primarily for Home and EU students.
For International (non-EU) student
awards, please see the International
Students section on pages 17.
Students resident in European Union
member states may be eligible to apply
for financial support to the UK Research
Councils and to the University on the
same basis as UK students, although,
generally, the awards will only cover
tuition fees. If you believe that you are
eligible, contact the relevant
organisation directly.

Fees and scholarships

This section will guide you through the process of how much postgraduate study
will cost you and ways in which you can fund your studies.

Eligibility
Accommodation in University
residences is not normally available
for home students or international
students who have studied for their
first degree at Swansea. However,
the University can assist students in
finding private sector accommodation
via an online database of local
properties (for more information,
see the private sector accommodation
section below).
Postgraduate accommodation
in University residences
There is designated accommodation
for postgraduates provided on a fixed
51-week basis at three University
residences. There is a choice of living
on campus in one of our nine campus
halls or off site at Beck House or the
Hendrefoelan Student Village.
Horton is one of nine halls of
residence on the University campus
and was completed in 2008. It has
two floors designated to postgraduate
students for 51 weeks in en suite, selfcatering study rooms; many of these
rooms have fantastic views of the bay

22

or the surrounding stunning parkland.
The rooms are grouped into selfcontained flats of 8 and share a well
equipped kitchen diner. All rooms
have high-speed Internet access and a
telephone connected to the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;
residences network.

department to discuss individual
/specific requirements).

TyË&#x2020; Beck / Beck House is a designated
quiet residence providing a variety of
high quality flats for single students
and families, with some rooms having
wonderful sweeping views of the
coastline. It has an excellent location
in the heart of Uplands, a thriving
community, with an extensive array
of shops, restaurants and schools
nearby. The campus is roughly a
mile away and within easy walking
distance (20 minutes).

Hendrefoelan Student Village is
located in a leafy suburb about
2 miles from campus and provides
self-catering accommodation in flats
and houses set amongst mature
woodland and open grassy areas.
This expansive residence is mainly for
undergraduate students (usually under
21 years), however a designated area
for postgraduates has been created
offering rooms in flats sharing kitchen
and bathroom facilities.

Approximately 120 single students
live in mixed gender groups sharing
kitchen-dining facilities. There is a
range of standard and en suite
accommodation available in selfcontained flats or single study rooms
with shared communal areas. For
couples and families, there are
self-contained flats with 1, 2 or 3
bedrooms that comprise of a sitting
room, kitchen and bathroom. All
kitchens are well-equipped.

All rooms have wireless Internet,
telephone and shared communal
areas with well-equipped kitchens.
There are on site laundry facilities,
car parking and a frequent bus
service that operates regularly from
the site to the University campus.

All flats have wireless Internet,
telephone, television points and
laundry facilities and there is ample
car parking on site.

Some accommodation is adapted
for students with disabilities (please
contact the Residential Services

Settling in
Residential Services offer an extensive and varied supply of quality,
affordable accommodation for new postgraduate students at Swansea.
There are a range of options available in University residences and
Swansea also has an exceptional stock of local private sector housing.
The cost of living in Swansea is favourable and low compared with many
other UK cities. There is complete Fees information on the Residential
Services website at: www.swansea.ac.uk/accommodation/accommodationfees

University-managed properties
The University manages a number of
properties owned by local landlords to
provide affordable private housing in
popular surrounding student areas.
There are a very limited number of
places available in these houses which
are shared by groups of 3-6 single
students. Each student has their own
study bedroom with shared kitchen
and bathroom.
Private sector accommodation
There is an excellent supply of
competitively priced, private rented
housing in Swansea ranging from
self-contained bedsits and flats to
rooms in shared student houses.

To assist students in finding private
accommodation we have an online
database called StudentPad
(www.studentpad.co.uk) ) where
students can search through the
advertised properties and liaise
directly with the landlord.
To receive the link for Studentpad,
students make an online private
sector application at
www.swansea.ac.uk/accommodation
/apply. For more detailed information
on the private sector, including a
section with advice on house hunting,
please visit our website at
www.swansea.ac.uk/accommodation.

Further Information
To assist you in making an informed
choice, please consult our website
for more information on the types
of accommodation available,
eligibility for postgraduates and
details of how to apply for your
accommodation online.
The Residential Services website
can be found at
www.swansea.ac.uk/accommodation
or for further queries please email us
at: postgradaccomm@swansea.ac.uk

Accommodation

Applying for accommodation
Postgraduate students can apply
for accommodation online as
soon as their University offer
has been confirmed at
www.swansea.ac.uk/accommodation.

Whether you are studying for a postgraduate vocational qualification, converting to
a new subject area, improving your academic profile or embarking on postgraduate
study purely to expand your existing knowledge, we recommend that you start
managing your career development plans from the beginning of your postgraduate
study to facilitate a smooth move into the next stage of your career.
Who are we?
Careers is based within Library and
Information Services. It is staffed by
careers advisers, each with broad
career knowledge as well as specialist
knowledge in various fields such as
specific disciplines, international student
issues, disability issues, etc. In addition,
we have a team of advisers managing
work experience placements.
What can we offer you?
• One-to-one guidance provided by
experienced careers advisers. We are
available to help you make informed
decisions about your future whether
your career plans are well developed
or whether your thinking is at a more
tentative stage. We also offer support
as you work towards achieving
your career goals.
• E-guidance through our website at
www.swansea.ac.uk/careers

24

• Paid work placements and unpaid
work tasters that provide a chance to
investigate new career areas.
• A vacancies’ database on our website
that includes paid part-time jobs,
especially important to those who
are self-funded.
What do postgraduates do?
Data published annually by HESA
(Higher Education Statistics Agency)
shows that postgraduates move on into
a very wide range of careers. Many
choose careers closely related to their
area of study, some use skills developed
during their period of study in a new
area, whilst others develop their
entrepreneurial skills by setting up their
own business. Information on careers
entered by postgraduate researchers,
‘What do PhDs do?’ is available on
www.grad.ac.uk. For those studying for
masters, information is available on
www.prospects.ac.uk

What do employers look for?
In an increasingly competitive market,
employers are looking for specific
knowledge and abilities gained from
postgraduate study. They are also
looking for evidence of a range of
additional qualities such as adaptability,
analytical and problem-solving skills, a
willingness to continue learning, good
communication skills, ability to work in
a team and take management
responsibilities.
Postgraduates at Swansea are
encouraged to heighten their awareness
of the skills they are developing in
preparation for a seamless transition into
employment, using an online recording
system profile.

The future
Accessing help from the
Careers Centre
• Careers information, vacancies
and access to services such as
e-guidance and online booking for
appointments and careers talks are
available via our website at
www.swansea.ac.uk/careers
• Careers is also developing resources
and communities in the University’s
Personal Learning Environment called
Oremi. Oremi is a learning
landscape that supports users in their
social and academic networking,
personal and career development
and lifelong learning. You can log

Why did you choose Swansea for
your Postgraduate Study?
I had completed my undergraduate
studies at Swansea so further study at the
University seemed like the natural choice.
What do you think of the facilities?
The facilities at Swansea are excellent.
There are always ample computers
available to use, and a large library. I
was also able to go swimming at lunch
times in the nearby Sports Village. The
campus has everything you need: a
bank, a cinema, shops, places to eat
and a beautiful park.
What about the City of Swansea?
I like Swansea’s diversity; the fact that
you are so close to the beach, the City
Centre and the countryside all at the
same time.
Tell us about the support you receive?
My supervisor was great, very patient,
supportive and approachable. The other
members of staff were also fantastic and
I always felt I could ask any of them for
advice.
What was the Swansea University
“community” like?
I enjoyed being part of a large, friendly
group of people. The campus is smaller
than at a lot of universities and there is a
real community feel; everywhere you go
you meet someone you know to talk to.

There is also a really large range of
groups and societies.
Tell us a bit about your course?
I’d been given a good idea of what to
expect by my supervisor before I began
and, as I did a research course, I spent
most of my time in the lab. This gave me
an excellent grounding in “good lab
practice” which I’ve been able to carry
forward into my career.

work hard and stick at it. It will definitely
be worth it in the end and will make a
real difference to your life.
Is there anything else you would like to
add?
Just a massive thank you to everyone at
Swansea University!

How has the course equipped you for
your career choice?
My postgraduate course has equipped
me tremendously well for my career. It’s
given me the knowledge, analytical
skills, perseverance, tenacity and love of
learning that are vital for my current role.
I now report to the Managing Director at
a leading supplier of vitamins, minerals
and supplements and was able to make
a significant contribution to the company
from the very start.
What difference has your research
programme made to your career
prospects?
My career prospects have been
enhanced tremendously by my
postgraduate qualification.
Do you have any tips or advice for
prospective students?
I would say to anyone embarking on
postgraduate study to give it your all,

The facilities at Swansea are excellent
into Oremi using your usual network
username and password at
http://oremi.swan.ac.uk/
A good starting point is the Careers
Information Community at
http://oremi.swan.ac.uk/careersweb
• Arranging a meeting with a member
of the Careers Staff: The careers team
is available daily throughout the year,
including vacations, and is based on
Level 3 of the Library and Information
Centre. Our online system should be
the first option for booking an
appointment, but if you have any
queries or difficulties please ring
reception on 01792 513266 or

email careers@swansea.ac.uk, or call
in at Careers. The booking system
can be accessed at
www.swansea.ac.uk/careers
/Makingappointments/

We wish you every success with
your studies and look forward to
meeting you in the near future.

Library & Information Services
Library & Information Services
provides library, computing, careers
and information services for all
University members. There are over
800,000 books and periodicals in the
Library and branches along with a
wide range of electronic journals and
databases, DVDs, videos, newspapers
and other resources. Postgraduate
students may borrow up to twenty
items at a time. The library is open
long hours during term time, from 8am
– 2am Sunday to Thursday; and 8am –
8pm Friday and Saturday. A café
facility serving hot and cold drinks and
snacks is open during core hours.
There is a dedicated postgraduate PC
and study area within the Library and
Information Centre, and over 450
student PCs within the LIC and its
branches. All students are allocated a

26

computer username, password and
email address upon enrolment which
will allow you to use the PCs and a full
range of applications. A wireless
network is available across the
Singleton campus, students need to
register their laptop or PC and are then
able to use this network. We subscribe
to a wide range of full-text electronic
journal packages such as Elsevier
ScienceDirect and JSTOR, as well as
bibliographic databases such as Web
of Science via the Web of Knowledge
portal.
Our library catalogue, Voyager,
(http://voyager.swansea.ac.uk/) is
available on the web, and we also
provide access to the catalogues of
other research libraries. A full list of
electronic information resources is
available via the LIS web pages at
www.swansea.ac.uk/lis
Students can also make use of the
unique multidisciplinary research
collection, the South Wales Coalfield
Collection, held in the South Wales
Miners’ Library - a branch library
located in the Hendrefoelan Student
Village and in the Archives on
Singleton campus.
Specialist teams of subject librarians
are available to help you with finding

Supporting your studies

information at all stages of your
research. We offer information literacy
courses in liaison with your
department, and can provide
assistance with specialist software
packages such as EndNote, which will
help you manage your bibliographic
references.
The subject librarians also run a
Postgraduate Research Programme
offering tailored information literacy
sessions on a wide range of topics
such as effective database searching,
the hidden web and tracing theses and
conference papers.
We are members of a number of UKwide reciprocal access schemes, which
will allow you to have borrowing rights
in many other university libraries. In
addition, students living at a distance
or studying part-time may make use of
a range of specialist services such as
staffed photocopying and postal loans.
The Careers Service is also housed in
the LIC and provides a range of
services and facilities for graduates.
Please see the section on Careers for
further information.
Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295697
Email: library@swansea.ac.uk

Student Support Services
Student Support Services offers a
‘one-stop-shop’ to provide all students
with information, advice and support.
It comprises:
• Disability Office
• Money Advice and Support
• International Student Advisory
Service
• Student Counselling Service
Whether you have a general enquiry,
a specific problem or you just need to
talk things through, the Student Support
Services reception is a good place to
start. You will get a friendly greeting
and a sympathetic ear as well as the
information and support you need.
Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)1792 602000
Fax: +44 (0)1792 602136
Minicom/text: +44 (0)1792 295089
Email: student.services@swansea.ac.uk
www.swansea.ac.uk/study/current/
StudentSupportServices/
Disabled Students
The University positively welcomes
applications from students with
disabilities/specific needs/medical
conditions. For many years, the
University has sought to encourage
the admission of such students.

The University has a well established
Disability Office, which has acquired a
national reputation for the quality of
the support it provides. If you have a
disability/specific need/medical
condition, we recommend that you
contact the Disability Office
Caseworkers well before you submit
your application, for advice on your
chosen course of study and what your
particular needs might be.
You may be invited for an informal
interview with the Disability Office staff
to assess your needs and draw up
preliminary plans for your admission.
It will also give you an opportunity to
judge for yourself whether Swansea is
the right place for you in terms of your
course, the facilities you will need and
the support you will get. The campus is
fairly flat and compact. Most of the
buildings are modern and well
provided with ramp access, lifts and
adapted toilet facilities. Tactile paving
has been laid on all major paths.
A significant number of study
bedrooms in the campus halls have
been adapted for students and their
Volunteer Support Workers. We can
provide human support in terms of
notetakers, readers, personal
volunteers and dyslexia support.

Facilities for the visually impaired are
exceptionally good. The University has
a Recording for the Blind Centre with
three broadcast-standard studios. The
Centre is one of the finest of its kind in
any UK university and the only such
facility in Wales.
The University has a Mental Health
Coordinator who can help you to
obtain the most appropriate support
from the range of services on offer,
both within and outside the University.
The University also works closely with
various external agencies to ensure the
provision of good quality support. For
example, specially trained RNID
notetakers operate a speedtext service
for hearing impaired students; the
RNIB supports the Recording Centre.
Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)1792 603000
Fax: +44 (0)1792 295090
Email: disability@swansea.ac.uk
www.swansea.ac.uk/study/current/
StudentSupportServices/Disability
Office/

Supporting your studies

Postgraduate Research Faculty
Our dedicated Research Faculty Office
is there to support both taught and
research students during your time at
the University. They will assist you with
administrative issues ranging from
offering advice on regulatory issues to
the issuing of certificates required
when submitting theses/dissertations.
Our annual academic handbook will
be issued to you on enrolment.

The office also administers a range of
funds that provide loans, bursaries and
non-repayable grants to students who
may be facing financial difficulties. All
applications are carefully considered
against set criteria and in the strictest
confidence.
Enquiries
Email: MoneyDoctors@swansea.ac.uk
www.swansea.ac.uk/study/current/
StudentSupportServices/MoneyAdvice/

International Student
Advisory Service (ISAS)
ISAS provides information, advice and
support on non-academic matters to all
international (non-UK) students and
their dependants. The service operates
according to the UKCOSA/AISA
Code of Ethics for those advising
international students and the Rules
and Code of Standards of the Office of
the Immigration Services
Commissioner.
Common areas of advice include
UK immigration, travelling in the EU,
financial hardship, employment
regulations and visiting friends
and family.
ISAS operates the Home Office Batch
Scheme to assist students with
extending their visas, and arranges
Police Registration on campus.
ISAS produces the International Student
Handbook which is sent to prospective
students. There is also a dedicated
Orientation Programme for
international students at the start of the
academic year. Full details of both of
these are available on the website.
Enquiries
Email: isas@swansea.ac.uk
www.swansea.ac.uk/study/current/
StudentSupportServices/ISAS/

28

Supporting your studies

Student Counselling Service
The University operates a free,
confidential counselling service. The
service offers counselling to those
students who find that they are unable
to study effectively or enjoy their life at
university, whatever the reason –
personal or academic. Counselling is
provided mainly through one-to-one
contact, although group sessions may
also be offered.

Medical Facilities
If you are living in University
accommodation, you are required to
register with a local general
practitioner. There is a National Health
medical practice on campus in Fulton
House, open to students living within
two miles of the University. There is
also a Dental Surgery offering a full
range of NHS and private treatments,
also conveniently located on campus.

All counsellors are experienced and
professionally qualified and work to
the Ethical Framework of the British
Association for Counselling and
Psychotherapy.

Religion and Worship
The University has campus-based
chaplains of the following Christian
denominations: Anglican (Church in
Wales), Baptist, Greek Orthodox,
Methodist, Roman Catholic and United
Reformed Church. There is a
Chaplaincy Centre in Fulton House.

Appointments can be made 8.30am12.55pm and 1.55pm-4.30pm on
weekdays; arrangements may be
made for sessions outside these times.
Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295592
Email:
student.counselling@swansea.ac.uk
www.swansea.ac.uk/counselling

The University has a Mosque on campus,
which links with the local community
and is supported by an active Islamic
Society in the Students’ Union. There
are also links with the Swansea Jewish
Community. Students of other faiths will
find support in the various student
societies formed for this purpose.

Day Nursery
The Students’ Union runs a Day
Nursery, which is situated centrally on
campus. It provides care for children
during term time and school holidays.
All staff members are qualified in
childcare, first aid and basic food
hygiene, and are experienced in
providing a happy learning
environment within a multicultural
setting. The Day Nursery takes
children from the ages of three
months to eight years. Opening
times are 8.15am – 5.15pm.
Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)1792 513151
English Language Training Services
See International Students section
on page 14 for information.

Supporting your studies

Money Advice and
Support Office
The Money Advice and Support Office
provides students with information,
and advice on all student funding issues.
We also offer money advice, budgeting
advice and a debt counselling service.

Living in Swansea

Living in Swansea brings you all the benefits of living in a
city, plus the advantages of living by the sea, surrounded by
several award-winning parks. The area is friendly, relaxed,
and offers a stunning environment that provides the work
life balance that many seek, but few find. New landmark
developments give Swansea a sense of purpose and many
of our graduates choose to stay here long after their studies.

30

Live & learn

32

The City by the sea
Visit – The Marina. Start at the centre
of Swansea and make your way down
Wind Street, the famous pubs-and
clubs street, to the Maritime Quarter.
You’ll find marina scenery, exhibitions,
places to eat, and the beach beyond.
Shop – In the Quadrant, Swansea’s
indoor complex, which has a host of
high-street names. But if it’s Dylan
Thomas’ Swansea you’re in search
of, visit the traditional covered
market – great for fresh produce
and local seafood.

Relax – In Swansea’s two central multiscreen cinemas, which feature the latest
film releases, or go bowling. At night,
the City Centre offers a wide choice of
clubs, bars and restaurants, or there is
always the option of visiting the
attractive fishing village of Mumbles.
Experience – The Dylan Thomas
Centre, or learn about Welsh industry
and innovation at Swansea’s National
Waterfront Museum. The Grand
Theatre presents live performances all
year round and is one of Britain’s
finest regional theatres.

Unwind – On the beach. Beginning
just to the west of the University, the
19-mile Gower peninsula was the UK’s
first designated Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty. It’s easy to see why.
The coastline is simply one of the most
dramatic and picturesque in the UK
and every link in its chain of long,
sandy beaches and rocky coves is
unique. Many of the beaches have
been awarded the coveted EU Blue
Flag status. Three Cliffs Bay was
recently voted the UK’s best beach,
and Rhossili the best place in the UK
to see the sunset!

Explore – The Gower coastline. Its
network of tracks and footpaths is
ideal for walkers and hikers. The
beaches are popular with hanggliders, rock climbers, horse riders
and water skiers, and are a Mecca for
surfers. Field trips to the peninsula are
part of life for students studying
natural sciences. The Gower provides
a natural field laboratory for the
University, particularly in the study
of marine life.

Discover – The Brecon Beacons.
Lying to the north of Swansea these
mountains are astonishing to look at
and great to climb. From the heights
you get panoramic views across the
surrounding area to the sea. Caves,
waterfalls and craft centres can be
found between peaks. If you prefer
glorious countryside, then travel west
to the Towy valley. Here you’ll find
castles at Carreg Cennen, Dinefwr and
Dryslwyn, along with plenty of fresh air
and acres of wide open space.

Live – What makes the City of
Swansea so comfortable is its
manageable size. Nothing is too
far away from the centre. Getting
lost is difficult. Regular buses run to
and from Swansea centre, so getting
around is simple. Good coach, rail
and motorway connections provide
excellent links to many other cities
in the UK.

34

...with something for everyone

• Rugby and football fans
should check out the
City’s £24 million Liberty
Stadium. Home to
professional football and
rugby in the City, the
state-of-the-art stadium also
hosts major pop concerts.

• As well as housing works
by Hepworth, Nash,
Gustave Dore and Augustus
John, the Glynn Vivian
Gallery has an innovative
year-round programme
of exhibitions.

• Gower is one of the UK’s
top surfing venues. Surfers
should check out the
beaches at Port Eynon,
Llangennith and Rhossili.

• Gower has an extensive
network of traffic-free cycle
paths, and students can
follow a cycle path directly
from campus to both the
City Centre and Mumbles.

• The Grand Theatre’s Arts
Wing has two exhibition
areas, a rooftop bar and
café and a 120-seat
performance space
– a great venue for
comedy and jazz.

film and concerts from classical through jazz and rock.”
The Virgin 2008 Alternative Guide to British Universities

The popular Taliesin Arts Centre is at
the heart of the campus. Open
throughout the year, this lively venue
hosts a broad programme of events
including cinema screenings, an
average of ten visiting exhibitions per
year and a great variety of live
performances, from dance and drama
to jazz and world music. Full details of
Taliesin's forthcoming events are
available from the website:
www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk
The Centre’s Oriel Ceri Richards
Gallery hosts a range of exhibitions
throughout the year, presenting work
by emerging and established artists
alongside jewellery, cards and gifts to
suit all tastes. The recently refurbished
bar, serving tapas and much more, is

36

a popular place to meet throughout the
day and well into the evening. An
extension to the Taliesin Arts Centre
houses the Egypt Centre. This twostorey gallery contains an important
collection of antiquities from Ancient
Egypt. Over one thousand ancient
objects are on display, dating from
before 3500 BC to AD 500.
The collection of artefacts includes the
painted coffin of a musician from Thebes;
bead necklaces from the time of
Tutankhamun, statues of gods and
goddesses and everyday objects such as
tools and weapons. Students can
become involved in the work of the Egypt
Centre by joining the Friends’ Group or
may join the volunteer programme.

Adore the arts?

Further information can be found on
our website:
www.swansea.ac.uk/egypt
Want to take part?
The Students' Union offer an array of
arts-driven clubs and societies for those
with a passion for the more cultural
side of life. These include: dance,
drama, alternative music, choral
groups, visual arts and many more.
For further information visit the
societies’ website: www.swanseaunion.co.uk/societies

Arts

“...a constantly unfolding programme of drama, dance,

Photo credit: Chris Nash, Driven by Motionhouse

A full programme of varied activities is
available to students who want to
develop a healthy lifestyle, with classes
including Pilates, Belly Dancing,
Fitness, Spin, FitBall, etc.
For those who wish to gain new sports
skills there are classes in squash,
tennis, badminton and many more,
and students also have the opportunity
of gaining National Governing Body
Coaching/Refereeing Awards.
For the more advanced and
competitive, Swansea’s Athletic Union
clubs have a fine tradition of success in
inter-university competitions. Football,
rugby, hockey, netball, swimming,
golf are leading sports and triathlon
is now making its mark. The football
team were in the semi-finals of
the 2006 British Universities’
Championships, won the Premier
League and they are also currently
Welsh champions. Rugby are holders
of the Welsh Cup and retained the
Varsity Challenge having lost only
twice in the last eleven years.
Our modern sports centre is a short
walk from campus and includes the

A true sporting University, Swansea provides superb facilities and
opportunities whatever your level.
Scholarships
Outstandingly talented students may
be eligible for an Undergraduate
Sporting Entrance Scholarship, worth
£1,000 a year (see page 20 for
details), bursaries are also available.
You need to apply for a scholarship
before you enter the University.

Our sports facilities are further boosted
with a new Sports Village housing an
athletics track, two water-based all
weather pitches and an indoor training
centre for athletes. The Sports Village is
also home to Wales National Pool,
which includes a 50-metre pool and a
25-metre ‘warm up’ pool.
The outstanding natural environment
around Swansea means you can sail
in the Bay or at Margam Reservoir,
row on the River Tawe, and surf,
windsurf and canoe on the superb
Gower beaches. Mountain biking and
cycling are also popular across rugged
hills for experts or flat cycle paths for
beginners. So whether you just want
to have a go at something new, or
join one of the Athletic Union clubs,
Swansea has something for you.

Serious about sport?
Get involved in:
Aikido

Fencing

Judo

Rugby League

Table Tennis

Archery

Football

Karate

Rugby Union

Tae Kwon Do

Athletics

Go-Karting

Kite Surfing

Running

Tennis

Badminton

Golf

Lacrosse

Sailing

Triathlon

Basketball

Harriers

Life Saving

Ski & Snowboarding

Ultimate Frisbee

Bodyboarding

Hiking

Mountain Biking

Squash

Windsurfing

Canoeing

Hockey

Mountaineering

Sub Aqua

Caving

Horse Riding

Netball

Surfing

Cricket

Jiu Jitsu

Rowing

Swimming

Why did you choose Swansea for
your Postgraduate Study?
I chose to study at Swansea because the
University offered a research-based course
in Environmental Management which I
found attractive as it would put me in
contact with industry and give me the skills
that I would need to begin a career in this
field. In addition, Swansea offered a
bursary that made it possible for me to gain
a postgraduate qualification without the
worry of adding further to my student debt.
What do you think of the facilities?
Swansea has all the facilities that you
would expect from a leading university. I
found the teaching to be of a high
standard, with my modules being
interesting and relevant. I particularly
enjoyed having external lecturers and field
visits; all of which provided “real life”
knowledge.
My research experiences at Swansea
University have been amazing; the School
of Engineering is at the forefront of
research. During my study I have had the
opportunity to collaborate with more than
ten European research institutes on behalf
of my industrial collaborators, COST Action
637 and EC Joint Research Centre.
What about the City of Swansea?
I am from Swansea so I may be a little
biased! Swansea is a great place to
live and study. It has something to offer
everyone with the city, countryside
and beach on your doorstep.

40

Tell us about the support you receive?
There is plenty of support at Swansea. I
have found my tutor and lecturers to be
helpful and approachable. I have also
found postgraduate workshops that give
refresher sessions on grammar and
referencing invaluable.
Can you comment on the Swansea
University “Community”?
Being a campus-based university, there is
definitely a “community” feel and it doesn’t
take long to get to know plenty of people.
Tell us a bit about your course or
research programme?
I am studying for an MRes in Environmental
Management. The course has really
exceeded my expectations. During the first
taught part of the course, I gained skills that
are needed in the workplace such as
report writing, presenting and team work. I
found the modules to be relevant, varied
and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the
field trips and visiting lecturers as it
provided a “real” insight into the career
that I hope to enter.
The remainder of the course is taken up
by a research project and the research
projects involve industrial collaboration.
So far, I have arranged and carried out a
two-week long research tour of European
research institutes to collect data on
behalf of my collaborators, attended and
presented at a Cost Action 637 Working
Group meeting and subject to the

continued success of my project I hope to
contribute to a journal article to present my
preliminary findings and possibly present
my research at an international conference.
What has been the highlight of your
time at Swansea so far?
The highlight of my time in Swansea has
been my research project. I can’t imagine
that many Master’s courses give you an
opportunity to take on such a challenge!
The trips to Europe for research are a
definite highlight and I enjoyed taking
ownership of my project straightaway.
Have you given any thought to life
after Swansea? If so, what sort of
support have you had?
I certainly have given thought to life after
Swansea. During the first week of the
course we were given advice on pursuing
our career, preparing CVs and covering
letters and we even had a mock interview.
Throughout the course I have had
discussions with my lecturer regarding
future options. So far, I have begun to
apply for graduate schemes within
environmental departments of engineering
companies so fingers crossed!
Do you have any tips or advice
for prospective students?
I would definitely recommend doing a
Master’s course as it is almost a necessity
in today’s competitive job market.

The University library is one of the Department’s most important
resources. American Studies holdings are particularly strong in
such areas as American involvement in South-East Asia,
American slavery, organised and corporate crime, international
drug control, nineteenth-century poetry and popular culture
between the wars. The Department subscribes to a significant
number of appropriate journals and periodicals and holds an
extensive specialist video and DVD collections.

Taught Course
MA in Hollywood and the World
The MA in Hollywood and the World: Transnational Perspectives
on American Film is a highly distinctive degree programme
focusing on the important relationships that have developed
between American film and a variety of national cinemas and
traditions in the modern world. The interactions between the
great Hollywood tradition and other film traditions provide an
immensely fruitful route to achieving a greater understanding of
contemporary American society and culture from a genuinely
transnational perspective.
The taught Master’s degree is available by assessed coursework
and a dissertation. The degree normally extends over one year
for full-time or two years for part-time study. There are six
required seminar modules, and a dissertation of 20,000
words is written after the successful completion of the modules.
Modules offered will be concerned with film in a variety of
different ways. Students will study the impact of international
influences on the Hollywood film tradition; the manner in which
interactions between Hollywood film and other national cinemas
have influenced the development of film in a global context; an
investigation of how films reflect fundamental political aspects
of the relationships between America and various regions of the
world such as Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America;
an exploration of the controversial issues involved in the
adaptation of foreign literary works for the screen, and vice
versa and an analysis of the ideological political features of
American film in a global cultural environment.
The courses offered are:
• Critical Thinking, Film Theory and Interdisciplinary Research
Methods
• Comparative Film Histories: National Cinemas and the
Hollywood Tradition

• Literature to Film: Issues in Transnational Adaptation
• Ghosts and Apocalypse: Film Culture in America and Japan
since 1945
• Projecting Empire: Politics, American Film and the Global
Audience
• Research Portfolio
• Dissertation
MA in War and Society
The MA in War and Society is a unique degree that explores
the most spectacular of historic events. War has been a catalyst
for violent change throughout human history. It inflicts terrible
suffering and degradation and yet evokes great bravery.
What is War? A simple, meaningful definition is not easily
achieved. Simple explanations are insufficient. War needs to be
analysed in political, social, cultural, technological, historical,
military and media contexts.

US “War on Drugs”
The UN and International Drugs Policy
US Foreign Policy
Hollywood film and American society
The Americanisation of culture
Ethnicity and multiculturalism
African American Literature and Culture
The Harlem Renaissance
Native American History and Culture
The American Presidency
The Impact of war on American society
Contemporary Literature
Silent Cinema
Representations of Vietnam War
The Media & Globalization

The Department is involved in collaborative research projects
with several universities across the United States and there is a
programme of visiting speakers from Britain and the USA.
Members of the Department have written and edited book-length
studies of literature, popular culture, modern poetry, labour
leaders, political processes and philosophy.

Financial Support
Funding for research work comes from several sources
including the Leverhulme Foundation and the Fulbright
Commission.
Graduates are currently funded by the University of Wales,
Tempus, departmental bursaries and assistantships.
Opportunities for graduate research in the United States can
be funded by the Department.

Taught course
MA Hollywood and the World: Transnational
Perspectives on American Film
MA War and Society
Research opportunities
PhD by research
Head of Department
D R Bewley-Taylor BA PhD

10
7

American Studies

www.swansea.ac.uk/american

The Department of American Studies has well-established links with universities across the United
States. The Department’s research interests cover the core disciplines of American Studies: history
politics, literature and film. The Department is the leading centre for American Studies in Wales. We
possess sufficient technological resources to service our staff and students and we are continually
upgrading in this area.

44

Applied Linguistics

45

Applied Linguistics staff returned to the English Research Assessment Exercise panel in 2001 since
which time the department has grown with important new international appointments. English at
Swansea was awarded a 4 for the quality of its research in 2001.
Opportunities for bursaries exist on these courses. For information on support funding, see the
postgraduate pages of the University’s website at: www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate
MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (MA TEFL)
The MA in TEFL is intended for those who have already begun to
develop an informed interest or have some previous training or
relevant experience in the field. Students are likely to gain most
from the MA if they have some practical experience of TEFL
teaching and/or have studied modules in or closely related to
TEFL or Second Language Acquisition. (Those seeking a purely
practical entry level professional qualification are advised to
take a Certificate in TESOL at Swansea (ELTS Centre) or
elsewhere. Cert. TESOL or TEFLA holders will be considered
particularly favourably for entry to the Master’s scheme.)
Programme Highlights:
• Enhanced understanding of the area of TEFL
• Training in relevant research methods
• Experience of completing a research dissertation
• Second Language Learning Processes
• Communicative Language Teaching
• Discourse Analysis for ELT
• Research Methods for ELT
• Vocabulary in Language Learning
• Computers in ELT
• Dissertation
Exit with passes in 60 or 120 credits can lead to the award of
a postgraduate Certificate in TEFL or Diploma in TEFL.

Entry Requirements
Applicants to the MA TEFL programme should normally have a
good first degree and/ or relevant experience. For students
whose native language is not English, evidence of an
acceptable level of English language will be required,
normally 6.5 IELTS.

Research
The Department of Applied Linguistics is known internationally
for its research into Second Language Acquisition processes,
particularly Vocabulary Acquisition, language testing, and
language in education, particularly with respect to English
Language Teaching.
Research applications are encouraged for full-time or
part-time research in TEFL, Translation, Corpus Linguistics,
Language Acquisition, Stylistics and Discourse Analysis.
Distance PhD in Applied Linguistics
The programme is primarily aimed at English language teachers
working abroad who want to maintain an academic base in the
UK. The programme is centred on Professor Paul Meara’s
vocabulary research group. The PhD programme is specially
designed for people who want to join an active research group
while continuing to work. The Department is strongly committed to
supporting part-time students. The part-time programme usually
takes six years to complete, and we normally have four or five
places available each October. Places are normally allocated in
February, and you are advised to contact the Centre informally in
advance if you are intending to apply for a place to study with us.
We normally only accept people if they already have an MA in
Linguistics or a related discipline. We also prefer applicants to have
some experience of empirical research. The programme is highly
structured, the work for each year being tightly organised round a
series of training tasks and experimental projects. The programme
currently supports about 25 students, including a group of eight
students based in Japan. All of these students are working on
aspects of vocabulary acquisition and lexical performance in
second language speakers. The group has a particular interest in
the development of innovative assessment testing tools.
Enquiries
Distance PhD programme
Professor Paul Meara
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295391
Email: p.m.meara@swansea.ac.uk

Applied Linguistics is a section of the School of Arts. Seven full-time academic staff currently teach
and supervise thirty PhDs and thirty MAs in TEFL and Translation.

46

Business Management

47

The School has extensive PC and multi-user computer facilities,
with networked PCs linked to a variety of server platforms.
All networked PCs have access to a broad selection of
resources such as the Financial Times, The Economist and
ABI/INFORM, and students have terminal access to the
Datastream financial information system. The School also
provides access to telephone/fax, postal and photocopying
services, and provides an email address and Internet access.
Postgraduate students at the School of Business and
Economics have access to computer labs and study areas
within the School at any time of the day.

Taught Course
On all of its taught postgraduate courses, the School of
Business and Economics aims to combine academic
excellence with a practice-oriented perspective. It ensures that
content is intellectually demanding while being related to the
practical world of management.
MBA (AMBA accredited)
For candidates with experience in the practical aspects of
management, the MBA programme aims to provide a
comprehensive set of skills and an in-depth knowledge of
the main managerial disciplines.
The full-time MBA at Swansea University is a twelve-month
programme. Part one, from October to May, consists of two
semesters covering the following taught courses:
• Managing Finance
• Managing People
• Managing Markets
• Managing Processes
• Management Skills
• Strategic Case Analyses
• Two Elective Modules
• Report Preparation
Part two starts in July and consists of a management project.
The purpose of the management project is to enable students
to develop, integrate and apply the concepts, skills and
techniques acquired during the MBA programme in

addressing a management problem or issue. The report allows
the opportunity for students to focus their analysis on a
company or organisation. The School is actively engaged in a
number of collaborative projects with our business community
and, particularly at this stage of the programme, encourages
students to capitalise on our extensive network of companies
and organisations.
To study for the MBA, you will need to have an initial degree,
at least three years’ relevant work experience and, if English is
not your mother tongue; an English level of 6.5 IELTS or
equivalent. The University has a full range of pre-sessional
language programmes available to assist those students that
need to improve their English level. Non-graduates with
relevant experience will be considered positively. Please
contact: mba@swansea.ac.uk
The School also offers our MBA programme in an executive
format aimed at managers who choose to study whilst still in
employment. The Executive MBA is delivered on a modular
basis, during weekends over two years. Please contact:
mba@swansea.ac.uk
Masters in Management Programmes
MSc in Management
MSc in Management (International Management)
MSc in Management (Marketing)
MSc in Management (Finance)
The Masters in Management programmes are all intensive
one-year Master's degrees designed mainly for recent
graduates who have achieved at least a second-class honours
degree, or overseas equivalent. Work experience is not
required. The programmes are primarily designed to meet
the needs of graduates who have not previously specialised
in Business Management, or who have studied the subject in
a non-UK context.
All four Masters in Management (MScs) are generalist
management programmes that aim to develop a sound
understanding of a broad range of management disciplines
that will enhance employability and allow graduates to gain a
sound knowledge and understanding of the key theories and
current topics within their chosen field. All of the programmes

cover the main business and management subjects during
the first part while then allowing the opportunity to focus on
a specific area such as marketing, finance or international
management, or to continue to study the main general areas
of management in more depth. To study for a Masters in
Management you will need to have an initial degree and, if
English is not your mother tongue, an English level of 6.5
IELTS or equivalent. The University has a full range of presessional language programmes available to assist those
students that need to improve their English level. Nongraduates with relevant experience will be considered
positively. Please contact: mim@swansea.ac.uk
MSc in Marketing
The MSc Marketing is a twelve-month full-time programme,
designed for Business and Management (or closely related)
graduates. The programme combines the academic theory
of marketing with a practical perspective that closely reflects
true to life marketing issues and situations. The scheme aims
to develop a sound understanding of marketing, to extend
existing knowledge, whether from previous study or practical
experience and as such, to enhance employability
prospects. The techniques and skills gained on the
programme will enable an accelerated start to, or
continuation of career paths in marketing and will be
applicable to the marketing of all types of organisations.
Part I consists of nine compulsory and three optional modules
while Part II provides the opportunity to explore, in depth, an
area of marketing of particular interest.

To study for an MSc in Marketing you will need to have an
initial degree and, if English is not your mother tongue, an
English level of 6.5 IELTS or equivalent. The University has a
full range of pre-sessional language programmes available
to assist those students that need to improve their English
level. Non-graduates with relevant experience will be
considered positively. Please contact:
sbe.pg@swansea.ac.uk
MSc in Finance
The MSc Finance is a twelve-month full-time programme,
designed for Business and Management graduates or
graduates with a strong quantitative background. The
programme combines the academic theory of finance with a
strong practical perspective closely related to the practical
world of finance. The scheme aims to develop a sound
understanding of finance and closely related areas, to
extend existing knowledge, whether from previous study or
practical experience and as such, to enhance employability
prospects. The techniques and skills gained on the
programme will enable an accelerated start to, or
continuation of career paths in finance.
Part I consists of compulsory modules while Part II provides
the opportunity to explore, in depth, an area of finance (or
closely related subject) of particular interest. To study for an
MSc in Finance you will need to have an initial degree and,
if English is not your mother tongue, an English level of 6.5
IELTS or equivalent. The University has a full range of presessional language programmes available to assist those
students that need to improve their English level. Non-

Business Management

www.swansea.ac.uk/business

The School of Business and Economics has a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere and is housed on
the University campus in modern, purpose-built facilities with its own teaching rooms and up-todate IT facilities. It has an expanding postgraduate community. In the School’s most recent review
of teaching (The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education – November 2002), the highest
possible scores were achieved in Business and Management subjects for both academic
standards and the quality of the learning opportunities at the School.

48

Business Management

Chemistry

Research

Financial Support

The School has a number of established research groupings,
which provide focus and support our ongoing research
programmes and culture.
Human Resources, Organisations and Entrepreneurship
The research activity of this group includes cross-cultural
research on change management practices in multinational
companies; industrial relations and models of partnership
management; organisational design and behaviour; and
research on the drivers of entrepreneurship activity.
Interdisciplinary work in environmental management is also
carried out within this group.
Finance and Risk Management
Research in the finance area has a strong empirical flavour,
areas of current interest are as follows: the modelling of futures
and options data; asset pricing models; insurance industry
structure; the credit rating of insurers; financial markets in
developing economies.
Information Systems and e-business
Research of both national and international significance is
conducted in the areas of electronic government and
electronic democracy, strategic data planning, database
design, rapid application development, information systems
failure and evaluation, multimedia business applications and
electronic commerce/electronic business in the SME sector.
Marketing
Research areas covered by the marketing group include
marketing research methodology particularly in cross-cultural
research, personal selling and sales management, consumer
behaviour, buyer-seller relationships, Internet marketing and
marketing communications. The marketing group undertakes
both theoretical and applied research. Research is also
conducted within the School on tourism demand modelling.
Statistics
Research on various aspects of applied stochastic modelling,
complemented by more theoretical research into general
principles of probability and statistical inference, is undertaken
by this group. Work is also conducted on the practical
application of statistics to a variety of problems arising from
commercial organisations and government bodies.
As well as providing focus and direction for research, groups
hold regular colloquia and workshops and are designed to
promote interdisciplinary research projects, and to provide
impetus for research grant applications and consultancy
activity. The School has current externally-funded research
projects on the information society (National Assembly for
Wales), on business succession planning (European Social

The School and the University awards a limited number of
research studentships (MPhil/PhD) as well as a limited number
of taught masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bursaries. Home and overseas students are
also encouraged to apply for research studentships and grants
from other research institutions and funding bodies.

Entry Requirements
For the management programmes, the requirements are listed
in the relevant section. For a research degree, applicants
normally require a first or upper second-class honours degree
in a relevant subject.

Opportunities for research in the chemical sciences include studies in: instrumental, physical,
synthetic organic and synthetic inorganic chemistry. The main thrust of this research is the
exploration and application of chemistry in nanotechnology, materials science, biomedicine
and environmental science.
Specific areas of expertise include: bioinorganic chemistry;
luminescent biomedical probes; modern NMR techniques for
structure elucidation in complex systems; enzyme mimics;
switchable hydrogels; novel solid state catalysts and
structures; the design, synthesis and characterisation of
photoactive materials for electro-optics; materials for solar

energy conversion; environmental chemistry; luminescent
thin film sensors.
Chemistry research at the University is housed in the
School of Engineering â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for study options, please see
the Engineering section beginning on page 64.

Chemistry

Fund), on environmental management and on the labour
market in Wales (European Social Fund).

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

graduates with relevant experience will be considered
positively. Please contact: sbe.pg@swansea.ac.uk

49

50

Childhood Studies

51

The Department aims to:
• Promote high quality teaching and lifelong learning in
childhood, with a particular focus on early childhood
• Enhance the profile and status of early childhood research
and scholarship
• Facilitate the career development of local and regional early
years and childhood practitioners
The Department of Childhood Studies has a thriving research
culture and is committed to promoting the highest standard of
work by postgraduates. The Department plans to make a
significant contribution to the new interdisciplinary Centre for
Child Research.
The main areas of research interest and expertise are:
• Inclusion, participation and children’s rights
• Young children, play and learning (including outdoor play)
• Children, media and digital technology
• Inter-agency and multidisciplinary working
• Innovative and creative research methods with children
Current work includes a study of teaching practices and
learning outcomes when using ICT in the classroom, an
evaluation of the work of the Children’s Commissioner for
Wales, a project to develop children’s own research, and a
series of practice-based research studies in outdoor play, Forest
School and the Reggio Emilia approach. In order to support
and further develop a vibrant research culture, the Department
also arranges a regular seminar series open to academics and
professionals, which includes presentations from internationally
renowned academics in the field of childhood studies.
In addition to the MSc in Early Childhood, the Department also
organises the successful and very popular undergraduate degree
in early childhood studies. New courses recently approved and
planned for introduction in the near future include a BSc in
Childhood and Youth and an MA in Play and Playwork.
MA in Child Welfare and Applied Childhood Studies
This degree is a one-year full-time (or two years, part-time) modular
degree consisting of six taught modules and a final dissertation.
The programme offers compulsory modules: children and
childhood in the social sciences; child welfare; understanding

and doing research; plus optional modules: sexual
exploitation of children; contemporary issues in childhood
studies; child study and child development; children’s rights;
therapeutic work with children; children’s service development
and social change; advanced practice with children; and
contemporary issues in early childhood.
The final dissertation is an extended piece of work on a
relevant, agreed topic, exploring an aspect of childhood or
child welfare in some depth.
MA in Developmental and Therapeutic Play
This new scheme has been designed for a range of professionals
working with children. The scheme will be of particular interest to
experienced practitioners wishing to formalise their professional
status or integrate therapeutic play into their current practice.
The programme:
• Combines the in-depth study of play from a theoretical and
academic perspective with the practical application of this
knowledge in context.
• Offers innovative and comprehensive training that affords play
the recognition it deserves in promoting children's growth and
development
• Demonstrates how Developmental and Therapeutic Play
Specialists play a key role in facilitating play skills to promote
well-being and resilience.
• Provides entry into the profession for new graduates
• Leads to full practitioner membership of the British Association
of Therapeutic Play (BATP).
MSc in Early Childhood
This multidisciplinary course is a challenging and stimulating
programme enabling the advanced study of young children
and their families.
The course will:
• introduce students to an extensive range of contemporary
international literature and research in the field of early
childhood
• extend students’ understanding of early childhood through
engaging in detailed analysis of theoretical perspectives in
the early years

• critically explore the complexities, challenges and
opportunities offered by multi-agency and interdisciplinary
working in early years’ settings and services
• offer students a flexible programme of study
• support professional development in the field of early
childhood

in early childhood. As a result, some of the optional modules
may alter from those given above.

The course is open to all those interested in the field of early
childhood. It will be of particular interest to graduates of
early childhood studies, local early years’ practitioners
(including those working in education, health and social
care) and international students.

MPhil/PhD in Childhood Studies
We have a keen and growing group of postgraduate
research students, studying areas as varied as pupil-teacher
interaction, special educational needs, health and education
in traveller families, and children and violence in Cambodia.
We offer a sound research training in collaboration with
other departments, with our particular focus being on
methods of research involving children. All our academic
staff are strongly committed to research supervision, and
between us we offer a wide range of specialist expertise.
We are willing to consider proposals in any area of
childhood studies, particularly in one of our departmental
research clusters. We welcome students who wish to work
within a specific discipline such as sociology or education,
as well as those who are interested in working in a more
interdisciplinary way.

The duration of the course is one year full-time or two to four
years part-time. The course provides opportunities for students
to research their own interests in early childhood and for a
study visit to a European country.
In particular the course will provide opportunities for:
• The critical exchange of high-level knowledge and
understanding of international early years’ policy,
practice and provision
• Multidisciplinary research, policy and practice in early
childhood
The course consists of six taught modules and a dissertation.
There are four compulsory modules and two optional
modules selected from the following:
Compulsory Modules
Research Methods for Early Childhood
Children’s Rights and Participation
Diversity and Equality in the Early Years
Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood
Optional Modules
Children and the Media
Digital Childhoods
International Perspectives on Play and Learning
The programme is developing and aims to respond to
changes in policy and practice and to reflect current issues

Assessment is through coursework, including written
assignments, seminar presentations and a dissertation of
20,000 words in length.

Applicants for all of our taught courses will be required to
undergo a CRB/Police check.
Academic/Research Staff
Administrative Staff
Taught courses
MSc Early Childhood
MA Child Welfare and Applied Childhood Studies
MSC Developmental and Therapeutic Play
Research opportunities
MPhil/PhD

The Department of Childhood Studies is committed to providing a genuinely interdisciplinary
approach to the study of childhood. Academic staff have wide experience and expertise within
the fields of education, health, social care, psychology, sociology, linguistics and communication
studies. The Department has strong links with a range of international networks and a number of
similar university departments in Europe and around the world.

52

Classics, Ancient History and Egyptology

53

The Department enjoys an invaluable asset in its purpose-built Egypt Centre, which houses about
3,000 objects from Ancient Egypt. This impressive and important collection illustrates more than
4,000 years of human development from the prehistoric to the early Christian era and plays an
integral role in our teaching.
The University Library is particularly well stocked with original
texts, literary and documentary, with basic works of reference
and with secondary material of all kinds. It subscribes to a
wide range of general and specialist periodicals.
Online access to external bibliographies and citation indexes
is available. Resources include JSTOR, Dyabola, TLG,
Patrologia Latina and Teubner Latin texts online, and the
Gnomon database.
All our postgraduate research students are automatically
members of the University of Wales Institute of Classics and
Ancient History. The Institute promotes conferences and
seminars involving staff and postgraduates from the Classics
and Ancient History Departments of Cardiff, Lampeter and
Swansea. There are two further research centres linked to the
department: The Centre for Egyptology and Mediterranean
Archaeology, and Kyknos: The Centre for Research in Ancient
Narrative Literature.
The Department has a thriving postgraduate seminar,
which meets weekly.

Taught Courses
There are three taught MA schemes:
• MA in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation
• MA in Ancient Egyptian Culture
• MA in Classics
• MA in Ancient Narrative Literature
The MA in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation is in part
taught through the Welsh Video Network in collaboration with
Lampeter and Cardiff, under the aegis of the University of
Wales Institute of Classics and Ancient History.
Each MA is an intensive year-long course, designed both as a
self-contained block of study and as preparation for PhD work.
Teaching is seminar-based and constructed in six modules
running between October and June, concentrating on study
techniques employed in ancient history, classical culture and
Egyptology. The schemes are designed to be flexible, and

can, within limits, be tailored to meet the needs or interests of
individual students.
Modules deal with literary texts; documentary evidence,
especially inscriptions; archaeological evidence; and the
study of sexuality, religion and society. There will also be
specific instruction in research techniques. Students are
required to study Greek or Latin, or Ancient Egyptian at an
appropriate level.
Assessment is conducted on the basis of in-course written
work and oral presentations and students must also
produce a dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words.

Research
There are opportunities for graduate study in language,
literature, history and archaeology. The special interests
of staff are in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Egyptology
Ancient Egyptian Religion
Archaeology of Roman Egypt
Imperialism in Egypt and the Near East
Gender in Ancient Egypt
The ancient novel
Historiography
Greek social history (Archaic to Hellenistic)
Ancient technology
Roman Republican and Imperial history
Graeco-Roman urbanisation
History and archaeology of Asia Minor
Classical art and architecture
The Classical Tradition in Wales
Latin literature of Late Antiquity
Renaissance Latin

Research proposals in Egyptology, under the supervision of
Professor T Schneider and Dr K Szpakowska, are particularly
welcomed.

Financial Support
AHRC awards are available, and Local Education Authority
awards can sometimes be obtained.
The Department may, at its own discretion, enter strong
applicants for a Swansea University studentship. Graduates
of the University of Wales in Classics may apply for the Ellen
Thomas-Stanford Scholarship’s single annual award,
normally of £250.

The Department of Classics, Ancient History and Egyptology is the largest in Wales, and can
provide expertise touching on most aspects of the classical world, and in Egyptology. The
Department was awarded the grade of 4A in the 2001 national Research Assessment Exercise.

54

Computer Science

55

Research facilities currently consist of four laboratories
equipped mainly with the latest multimedia Pentium stations
running Linux, Solaris or Windows-NT/2000.
These stations are served by a high-performance computing
infrastructure composed of a 168-processor cluster
architecture, an eight-processor computation engine, and
several terabyte servers.
Research students also have access within the Department to
three laboratories of Linux stations, and Windows 2000
stations and multimedia suites; and internally, to about 400
PC stations distributed in the campus and several remote sites.
The Department maintains an active programme of seminars,
by both visiting speakers and members of staff; in addition,
there are regular research group meetings.
The University has excellent library facilities with access to
Inspec and other databases. The Department is an institutional
member of both the Association for Computing Machinery
and the British Computer Society, and subscribes to most of
the major computer science journals.

Taught Courses
MSc/Diploma/Certificate in Computing
and Software Technology
This MSc is suitable for both Computer Science graduates and
others who have gained some experience of computing and
basic programming in their first degree. As well as graduates,
we give serious consideration to candidates with substantial
relevant experience. An example of the latter category would
be someone who had worked in a computer-related
environment for some time and who wished to update or
broaden their knowledge. A willingness to work hard and an
ability to solve problems is more important than a formal
qualification in any particular subject.
The course starts in September with an intensive introductory
programming module. From the end of September through to
May, students select a range of modules covering aspects of
Software Technology such as Algebraic Specification,
Algorithm Design and Analysis, Artificial Intelligence, Concepts
of Programming Languages, Constraint Satisfaction, Critical

Systems, Data Storage and Manipulation, Data Visualisation,
Design Patterns and Generic Programming, Distributed
Programming, Interactive Theorem Proving, Interaction
Technologies, Internet Computing, IT Security, Relational and
Object-Oriented Databases, Software Product Development,
Volume Graphics and Web Service Applications.
A further four months of study is then undertaken to prepare a
research dissertation.
MSc/Diploma/Certificate in Computing and Future
Interaction Technologies
The FIT MSc is about discovering and mastering the
fundamental science behind putting computers to use in the
world. It will give students the skills and qualifications
necessary to be leading designers and architects of new,
cutting-edge devices – particularly interactive devices – in
many areas, from entertainment consoles to medical devices.
The course is designed to appeal to excellent computing
graduates, and concentrates on human computer interaction,
as well as the software engineering issues underlying major IT
failures. The programme contains a substantial project that
allows the student to pursue their own creativity and ideas as
far as they can take them.
MRes courses
The Department offers three MRes degree programmes. These
schemes consist of approximately one-third taught modules
along with a large research-style project.
MRes in Computer Graphics, Visualisation
and Virtual Environments
The digital economy is a high growth, hi-tech area which
demands skilled employees who can take a lead role in
developing the science and application of new technologies.
Computer Graphics and its associated areas underlie many of
the recent developments, whether it is from visualising a preoperative scan of a patient, to engaging the public
imagination by showing an animation of a new building
development. The MRes in Computer Graphics, Visualisation
and Virtual Environments provides an education in this highly
active and relevant area.

The Department of Computer Science has a strong national
reputation for Computer Graphics research. In particular, the
links between the Department and the Digital Technium
allows the scheme to expose students to an environment of
high growth entrepreneurial businesses, innovation, the latest
technology, academic research and industrial and academic
partnerships within the digital economy.
The overall aim of this programme is to give students the
research background within a major area of the digital
economy upon which they can build and innovate, and the
transferable skills they need to exploit their efforts. Students will
be destined for employment opportunities in further research in
academia, hi-tech companies, the public sector, or will
consider exploiting their research through company creation.
Students follow taught modules in Data Visualisation, Volume
Graphics, Programming and Graphics APIs, Graphics
Surveys and Research Methodology, Fundamentals of Visual
Computing, and state-of-the-art Computer Graphics.

MRes in Logic and Computation
Logic is about what we can express, compute and reason. In
the twentieth century, formal logic developed into one of the
great intellectual disciplines, having a profound influence in
philosophy, linguistics, mathematics, computer science, and
electronics. In computing, throughout the century, logic has
been the primary source of ideas and techniques for the
theoretical and practical development of programming.
Today, as the scope of programming technology expands,
and the horizon of users’ applications widens, research in
logic and its applications in software and hardware
development is booming.
This scheme will educate students in advanced techniques in
logic and their applications in research problems in computer
science. Students will receive an elite education of direct
relevance to research and development problems in
contemporary Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The Department of Computer Science at Swansea University
has an established and excellent reputation for its

Computer Science

www.swansea.ac.uk/compsci

The Department of Computer Science is among the top computer science departments in the UK
and is currently receiving investment to further strengthen its position. It was rated 5 in the 2001
Research Assessment Exercise and is regularly ranked high in independent league tables. The
Department’s computing facilities are based on a fibre optic backbone and 1G switched fast
ethernet LANs. This is structured to give easy access to the University’s Academic Computing
Services, which gives access to worldwide facilities via SuperJANET.

56

Computer Science

Critical Systems; Logic and Semantics; Fundamentals of
Programming Languages; Functional Programming and
Interactive Theorem Proving; Constraint Satisfaction Problems
and Applications; Algebraic Specification of Software and
Hardware; Artificial Intelligence; and Design Patterns and
Generic Programming.
MRes in Computing and Future Interaction Technologies
The FIT MRes is designed for students who wish to learn and
practise the science underlying new interaction technologies.
After undertaking a FIT MRes programme, successful students
will be able to demonstrate a systematic knowledge and
comprehensive understanding of the following topics sufficient
to apply them to previously unfamiliar problems and critically
evaluate the effectiveness of the approaches adopted.
• Understanding and knowledge of fundamental technical
concepts, and current ideas concerning future interaction
technologies, mobile technologies, appliance design, webbased and security-related interaction
• Understanding and knowledge of usability issues including
interface design, user cognition, testing, and evaluation
• A substantial knowledge of the advanced literature and
issues within IT
• The knowledge and understanding of appropriate analysis
and evaluation techniques including their limitations
• The application of computer science to human computer
and mobile interaction issues

Our research interests are based on algorithms, programs and
systems, rather than on the construction of hardware, so a
sound background in programming and/or mathematics is a
prerequisite for most projects. There are currently three broad
areas of research.
Algebraic and Logical Methods for the Design of Software
and Hardware
The research of this group is concerned with the mathematical
analysis of fundamental problems to do with algorithms,
programs and programming languages, and machines. The
scientific aims of the group are to explore the foundations of
formal design methods, to model, specify and reason about
computing systems using new algebraic and logical methods,
and to study the logical basis of complexity. The group is at
the forefront of research in the following areas:
• Approximate and exact computations on topological data
types like the real numbers and on infinite data streams
• Higher-order methods for programming language semantics
• Type theory and its applications in programming
technologies
• General algebraic methods for modelling microprocessors,
in which machines at the architecture and organisation
levels, and their correctness, can be specified by equations
• Descriptive complexity theory and algorithmic model theory,
which are fundamental subjects for studying the logical
basis of complexity and logics for feasible computation
• Operational semantics that gives meaning to concurrent
systems, and the use of game theory, particularly the study
of winning strategies, in understanding verification problems
• Satisfiability problem, which is at the heart of many
practical verification techniques, and the application of
linear programming to this problem
• Algebraic theory of synchronous concurrent algorithms
(SCAs), and application of SCAs to the specification of
scientific simulation in areas such as physiology
• Infinite-state automata theory, particularly structural
technologies for analysing large general computing systems

Teaching is by a mixture of formal lectures, tutorials,
workshops, and scheduled laboratory classes. Formal lectures
are used to introduce the student to the material studied.
Topics are discussed further in tutorial sessions, and
workshops. In particular, the professional and social context of
computing is an area developed in tutorial sessions.

Computer Graphics and Visualisation
The group is in a leading position in the new field of volume
graphics and contributes to the development and application
of multimedia communications. Its scientific aims are to
develop new algorithms and methods, and to create
advanced software tools for graphics, visualisation and
multimedia communication. The group has made significant
contributions in the following areas:

The project forms a significant part of the programme, and is
the written record of the student’s work, including their
practical and theoretical achievements, the background and
future opportunities their work enables. The MRes project
requires a very substantial research component that is
contributing to the field in an explicit way rather than merely
applying existing knowledge.

• Constructive volume geometry as an algebraic framework
for volume graphics, and software tools for modelling and
rendering complex multi-volume scenes
• Distance field and its use in voxelisation of complex objects,
and efficient algorithms for computing distance fields, and
hypertextures
• Algorithms for deformation and animation

• Efficient direct volume rendering techniques, and various
rendering effects such as reflection, refraction, shadows
and texture mapping in discrete ray tracing
• Non-photorealistic rendering techniques, and their
applications to information visualisation
• Software tools for rapid implementation of software
systems involving remote collaboration and multimedia
communication
• Scalable virtual environments and knowledge-based user
interfaces
• Industrial applications in management of commercial
software development and maintenance using
Internet/intranet-based multimedia communications
• 3D volumetric display technology
Scientific Computation for Non-Newtonian Fluid
Mechanics
This group plays a leading role in the field of computational
rheology. Its scientific aims are to develop fundamental
algorithms for predicting flows of rheologically complex
materials, to investigate new programming technologies,
distributed processing, visualisation and multimedia for
computational rheology, and to solve advanced practical
problems in the processing industry. The main interests in this
area fall into four categories:
• Efficient predictive algorithms for the study of flows of nonNewtonian materials, which provide solutions to highly
non-linear equation systems, and incorporate state-of-the-art
finite element techniques
• New programming technologies (e.g. genetic
programming) for computational algorithms, and parallel
and distributed processing technologies for scientific
computation, which provide an overall computer-aided
design environment
• Advanced computing technologies, including visualisation,
multimedia and data warehouse, in scientific computation
• The application of the above technology to solve practical
problems in the processing industry
Future Interaction Technologies
Future Interaction Technologies (FIT) refers, broadly, to
complex devices that have immediate impact on our lives, for
better or worse – whether in our homes, cars, mobile phones
or medical devices, etc. The research of the FIT Lab focuses
on evaluating and changing design through better humanorientated tools, technology, models and methods. Its aim is
to improve quality of life by addressing key technological
challenges that are relevant to the whole of society. Interests
include research focused on the digital divide, mobile
information seeking, education and patient care.

Financial Support
Each year, the Department is able to offer research students
a number of EPSRC studentships. In addition, Swansea
University studentships are open to research students on a
competitive basis.

Many research grants from EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, EU, the
Nuffield Foundation and various international companies
currently support the research work of the academic staff. In
some cases, these provide research studentships as well.

Entry Requirements
For research degrees (including MRes): a good honours degree in
Computer Science, Mathematics, or a closely related discipline.
For the MSc programmes: a 2.2 (or above) honours degree in
Computer Science or other discipline along with some
experience of computing and basic programming.

All students will be assigned an individual supervisor and
undertake an in-depth research project into a topic in Logic
and Computation under the supervision of an academic
member of staff. In order to do this, they will be required to
study various advanced topics in logic and computation, and
research methodology appropriate to their own individual
project. In addition, they will have the opportunity to attend a
number of taught modules which include:

Research

www.swansea.ac.uk/compsci

contributions to theoretical computer science. Currently, it has
great strength in logic and its applications to software
technology. It is among the best places in the UK for students
to receive an education in Logic and Computation.

57

58

Continuing Education

Development Studies

59

www.swansea.ac.uk/dace

Taught Course

Financial Support

MA Lifelong Learning
The MA in Lifelong Learning is a three-year, part-time course
aimed at anyone involved in supporting, developing and
providing lifelong learning and training, whether in a voluntary
or professional capacity. The programme examines current
issues in lifelong learning and offers opportunities for critical
debate and reflection on theory and practice in the field.

Research students are able to apply for Swansea University
grants, which are allocated on a competitive basis.

Research Opportunities
The Department has research in all areas of post-compulsory
education, with a strong emphasis on an interdisciplinary
approach.
Research fields include:
• History of adult education, especially in Wales
• Women and post-compulsory education
• Welsh in society
• Minority languages and sociolinguistics
• Motivation and success in second language acquisition
• Environmental education and lifelong learning
• Community-based learning and community studies
• Citizenship and adult education
• Transnational project evaluation
• Continuing education and language planning policy
• Social exclusion
• Education and social class
• Education and the arts
• Trade Union studies
• Science in adult education and society
• Part-time higher education and university adult
education in Wales
Much of the research work of the Department of Adult
Continuing Education is coordinated through the Welsh Centre
for Research and Evaluation in Lifelong Learning. This provides
a base for a number of funded projects and offers support for
research students and visiting scholars. The Centre was hailed
as a unique research and policy development resource, which
was the first of its kind in Wales and was sponsored from the
outset by the Lifelong Learning Foundation. Swansea was seen
as the natural home for this centre, having as it does longstanding expertise in the field of lifelong learning. The first
findings of the research project were published in 1999. The
South Wales Miners’ Library provides specialist support for
research in adult continuing education, particularly with
reference to the South Wales Coalfield.

Entry Requirements
Applicants for degrees by research are normally expected to have
a good honours degree in an appropriate discipline.

Academic/research staff

9

Postgraduates

5

Taught course
MA Lifelong Learning
Research opportunities
MPhil/PhD
Head of Department
Professor C Trotman BSc PhD
Research students are invited to attend Departmental
research seminars. For students returning to formal
education, the Department offers substantial help and
guidance through its specialist Guidance Unit.

The Centre for Development Studies (CDS) offers a comprehensive range of professional,
taught and research-based postgraduate teaching in a breadth of international development
issues. Our courses are enriched through materials and insights gained from collaboration
with cognate subject groups in the University, and through policy and technical studies
undertaken by CDS staff for a number of international agencies. Our postgraduate courses
are suitable for senior- and middle-level administrators, planners, academics and graduates,
from the UK and overseas.

Development Studies

www.swansea.ac.uk/environment_society

The Department of Adult Continuing Education undertakes research into lifelong learning,
conceptualised as holistic in character, embracing formal and informal education, in institutional
and non-institutional settings, ‘from the cradle to the grave’.

60

Development Studies

MSc in Social Development and Communication
This programme is aimed at current and prospective
journalists, campaigners and media professionals who
want to deepen their knowledge of, and practical skills in,
international development issues and in media and
communications. It offers an international and multidisciplinary
approach and provides students with a core curriculum that
integrates theory and practice in development, media and
communications. It allows students to expand their knowledge
of development policy and associated debates at national
and international level, and the role of the mass media and
journalism in the process of development. The programme has
been designed to give students a large choice of optional
modules and to specialise in particular issues or regions.
MSc in Development and Human Rights
CDS offers an innovative new multidisciplinary taught
postgraduate programme in Development and Human Rights
in collaboration with the School of Law and the Department of
Politics and International Relations. The programme focuses on
rights-based approaches to development, international human
rights law and the political theory of human rights (students will
take compulsory modules in each of these subjects) but offers
a wide range of optional modules. This will allow students to
explore the theoretical and practical implications of the
convergence of human rights and development in a variety of
thematic areas, including good governance, health policy,
violence and conflict, and civil society.
MSc in Migration and International Development
In recognition of the importance for development planning of
the inter-relationships between poverty, demographic and
environmental changes, and population movements (including
economic and environmental migration, resettlement and
displacement), CDS – in conjunction with the Department of
Geography – has recently launched a new postgraduate
programme. The focus of the programme is on population
dynamics, specifically through analysis of the determinants of
population change in the context of current theoretical and
methodological debates on fertility; and of the demographic
and wider social and economic impact of HIV & AIDS; causes
and patterns of forced migration, political and policy
responses to global refugee flows at the international, supranational and national levels, and the legal and human rights
framework for international refugee protection; and the
centrality of population issues to the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals.

MSc in Social Development and Conflict
From 2008, CDS is offering an innovative and exciting new
multidisciplinary taught postgraduate programme in Social
Development and Conflict, in collaboration with the
Department of Politics and International Relations. Violence
and conflict is one of the key factors creating and maintaining
conditions of poverty. The insecurity and instability that arises
from violent conflict affects the ability to maintain sustainable
livelihoods, access to basic services, the ability of
governments and other agencies to promote and protect
human rights, and contributes to the impoverishment of
affected communities. Yet intervention in the conflict zone
brings its own challenges and difficulties. The focus of the
programme is on core principles in social development
practice and theory; core theories in violence and conflict;
issues around humanitarian intervention and human rights; and
links between violence and conflict, and conditions leading to
and maintaining poverty and underdevelopment.

Health and Population
Reproductive health; HIV/AIDS; population dynamics and
policy analysis; equity and participation in the health sector.

MSc in Social Research
The School of the Environment and Society offers an MSc in
Social Research which has been granted Research Training
(RT) status by the Economic and Social Research Council,
provides advanced training in the range of research methods
used in the social sciences, and is available to Development
Studies students. Common modules develop practical research
skills, methodological expertise, familiarity with examples of
good practice in contemporary research and knowledge of
theoretical issues relevant across the spectrum of social
science disciplines. Elective modules and a dissertation
provide for specialisation in Development Studies. The course
may be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.

Financial Support

Research Opportunities
CDS offers MPhil and PhD degree programmes. CDS has a
vibrant research community with interests in a wide range of
the theoretical and applied aspects of development. Much of
this research is closely linked to CDS’s operational specialisms
in social development and policy planning. Research lies at
the core of the Centre’s mission and all academic staff are
research-active. CDS champions applied, policy-relevant
research based on engagement with research users, including
multilateral, bilateral and non-governmental donors and most
of our staff have extensive experience of commissioned as
well as independent research. The Centre’s distinct strengths
lie in three main areas:
Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development
Livelihoods, risk and vulnerability; poverty assessment; policy
and strategy; social protection; marketisation and privatisation;
sustainable development.
Governance and Conflict Resolution
Civil society and development (including secular and faithbased NGOs; rights-based approaches; accessible justice;
conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction; partnership;
capacity building and organisational learning;
democratisation and decentralisation.

Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates
Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates are nine-month and
three-month modular programmes respectively, and share
much of their curriculum with their corresponding master’s
programmes. Diploma students take six modules over two
semesters while Certificate students take three modules over
one semester. The Diploma is intended for staff in
government and non-government agencies whose academic
qualifications might not be sufficient to allow entry to the
master’s programme, but who have relevant work
experience. The Certificate is a free-standing qualification,
but module credit transfer is possible so that successful
candidates can use the Certificate as a springboard for
study to Diploma and/or Master’s.

Entry Requirements
Taught Masters
A good second-class degree, or above, from an approved
institution. However, applicants who do not possess these
qualifications may be considered if they have at least two years’
relevant experience at a responsible level and can demonstrate
ability to cope with the academic requirements of the
programme.

Research Degrees
Master’s degree (with a strong pass in the dissertation)
or a first-class honours (or equivalent) bachelor degree in a
related subject. However, all subjects are considered on an
individual basis.

Academic/research staff
Postgraduates

6
50

Taught courses
MSc in Development and Human Rights
MSc in Social Development
MSc in Social Development and Communication
MSc in Migration and International Development
MSc in Social Development and Conflict
MSc in Social Research
Professors
N Price
Research opportunities
MPhil/PhD
The Centre for Development Studies (CDS) has an
international reputation for its expertise in social
development and in health and population, acquired
through close attention to the needs of multilateral,
government, community, private sector and civil
society partners.
Financial Support
CDS has a range of bursaries and scholarships on offer.
Please visit the website for further information:
www.swansea.ac.uk/cds/PostgraduateStudy/Funding/

Taught master’s courses are twelve-month full-time modular
structures. Coursework is assessed by written assignments. The
final component of each programme is a dissertation, not
exceeding 14,000 words. Teaching methods include lectures,
seminars, workshops, visits, individual tutorials, and emphasis
is given to student participation and the exchange of
experiences.

www.swansea.ac.uk/environment_society

Taught Courses

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62

Economics

63

There is a centrally administered computer network offering
users not only a wide range of software applications, but
also high-speed connections to the SuperJANET UK
academic network and to the Internet.
Two teaching laboratories with state-of-the-art PCs are
maintained in the Department for use in teaching and
practical workshops.
A study room, similarly equipped with high-powered PCs, is
also available for exclusive use by postgraduates in the
Department.

Taught Courses
All our taught degree schemes follow a common modular
structure. To be awarded a Master’s degree, you must
accumulate 180 credits over Parts I and II of the academic
programme.
Part I is a wholly taught component, in which you must
acquire 120 credits from a list of compulsory and optional
modules.
Part II, yielding 60 credits, is a supervised summer
dissertation in which you are required to produce a critical
review of the literature and make a contribution to any field
of study selected from the taught syllabus.
The Department currently offers three MSc schemes in
Business Economics, Business Economics with Finance, and
Business Economics with Computing. Each scheme is
characterised by a combination of compulsory and optional
modules.
The schemes are designed to be academically rigorous and
to meet the needs of employers for high-quality personnel
who have advanced training in business economics, finance
and computing.
Assessment is by coursework and written examination.
MSc in Business Economics
The MSc in Business Economics, which has ESRC
recognition, provides students with an understanding of the
ways in which economic principles are applied in the
business world.

In addition, the course also provides students with a
thorough training in the research skills needed to proceed
onto a PhD programme in Economics. Compulsory modules:
Research Methods, Modern Microeconomics, Contemporary
Macroeconomics, Firm Organisation and Innovation,
Econometric Methods, Economic Forecasting.
Options: In addition, students must choose three modules
from the following: Marketing Management, Management
of International Finance, Advance Finance, Labour and
Personnel Economics, Financial Econometrics, International
Finance for Economic Development, Dissertation in Part II.
MSc in Business Economics with Finance
The compulsory modules are as for the MSc in Business
Economics, above, plus three modules: Advance Finance,
Financial Econometrics, Management of International
Finance. This programme also has ESRC recognition.
Optional modules are: Economic Forecasting, Marketing
Management, Labour and Personnel Economics,
International Finance for Economic Development,
Contemporary Finance Issues, Dissertation in Part II.
MSc in Business Economics with Computing
Compulsory modules are: Modern Microeconomics,
Econometric Methods, Economic Forecasting, Firm
Organisation and Innovation, Distributed Programming in
Java. Optional modules are: Financial Econometrics,
Marketing Management, International Finance for Economic
Development, Labour and Personnel Economics, Algorithms
Design and Analysis, Non-Centric Computing, Critical
Systems, Data Storage and Manipulations, Relational and
Object-orientated Database Systems, Advance Finance,
Management of International Finance, Dissertation in Part II.

Research
The Department of Economics provides supervised research
for postgraduate study, leading to the degree of MPhil or
PhD, which has ESRC recognition.
The MPhil degree involves a minimum of one year’s
research. The PhD degree involves a minimum of two
years’ research.
All students taking PhDs will normally be expected to enter
the doctoral programme operated by the School of Business
and Economics.

Applicants for the MPhil should normally hold a first- or upper
second-class degree in Economics or a related subject.
Applicants for the PhD must hold a Master’s degree in
Economics or a related subject.
Applicants for the MSc should normally hold a second class or
higher honours degree in Economics or a related subject.

Postgraduate students in Economics have access to state-of-the-art research facilities. The
University Library is excellent and maintains a full range of research resources for economists,
many of which are available online.

64

Engineering

65

Teaching quality is of the highest standard. In the Teaching
Quality Assessment Exercise, four awards were achieved at
the ‘Excellent’ level. The School has active Industrial Liaison
Committees that help to ensure that degree provision
contains relevant engineering skills.
The School is active in knowledge exploitation and has
secured significant funds over the past few years to support
applied engineering projects.

example of this is the well-renowned multi-million pound
Nanotechnology Centre, which links many areas of
engineering with physics, mathematics and the medical school.

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The School has a reputation for high-quality research.
In all previous UK Research Assessment Exercises, Civil
Engineering has received the highest grades and currently
holds the prestigious 5* rating. The research activities of
Civil Engineering, which are focused on Computational
Engineering, have been further strengthened by the formation
of the Civil and Computational Engineering Centre, which
has benefited from an investment of over £3m in new
premises and facilities.

The School of Engineering provides a stimulating, dynamic academic environment with
access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources.
Research within the School is organised into research
centres that have a wide range of interests, including those
in the areas of:

Academic staff

Research opportunities
MPhil/PhD/EngD

Entry Requirements
Normally a first- or second-class honours degree, relevant to the
course or area of research.

Research programmes are funded by the research councils,
government agencies and a variety of industries. Suitably
qualified graduates are accepted as postgraduate students
and follow either Master’s programmes, leading to the
degree of MPhil, MRes or MSc, or doctoral programmes
leading to the degree of PhD or EngD. The School was
awarded a £6m collaborative training account (CTA) grant
by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
(EPSRC) which is currently funding a variety of postgraduate
training opportunities, including the provision of fees and
generous maintenance allowances for UK and EU students.

Engineering. These Centres provide a key link between
basic research and the exploitation of knowledge and
expertise with local and national companies.

66

Engineering: Degree Schemes

EngD in Steel Technology
Links with Corus plc expanded dramatically through the
EPSRC decision to award the industry-linked Engineering
Doctorate Centre to the University of Wales consortium led by
Materials at Swansea. Each year, ten high-calibre research
engineers are recruited to four-year programmes leading to
the prestigious EngD degree. This innovative engineering
doctorate scheme combines technical, professional and
business courses with industry-based individual and team
projects. These projects are designed to achieve least-cost
production of superior quality steel sheet strip for a variety of
market sectors, which range from auto bodies and canning to
construction and consumer products. The deadline for
applications for September 2009 is expected to be March
2009 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; see www.swansea.ac.uk/engd for more details on
how to apply for this course.
EngD in Engineered Metals for High Performance
Application in Aerospace and Related Technologies
This programme focuses specifically on the materials
requirements of aerospace companies such as Rolls-Royce
(Aeroengines) and Airbus UK (Airframes). The research
activities encompass titanium alloys, nickel alloys, aluminium
alloys, high strength steels and advanced composite
materials and explore every aspect of their development,
processing and in-service application. As in the case of the
steel EngD, the four-year programme includes technical,
professional and business modules combined with industrybased research projects and leads to the award of a highly
rated EngD degree.

MSc/MRes Courses
MSc Programmes
Our MSc courses are modular in structure. Students must
obtain a total of 180 credits to qualify for the degree. This is
made up of 120 credits in Part I (the taught element) and a
project (Part II) which is worth 60 credits and culminates in a
written dissertation. Students must successfully complete Part I
before being allowed to progress to Part II.

MRes Programmes
This degree consists of 180 credits, 60 credits for taught
components and 120 credits for the project/dissertation.
The research project can either be carried out in industry or
at the university.
MSc in Aerospace Engineering
Building on our substantial background in aerospace
research, this flexible MSc course is based on the worldclass expertise available in the Materials Engineering
Research Centre and the Computational expertise in the
C2EC Research Centre.
This course provides students with a systematic
understanding of advanced knowledge, and critical
awareness of current problems or new insights required by
effective practising Aerospace Engineers. Students will gain
comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills that will
enable them to contribute to the creation and maintenance
of aerospace and aeronautical equipment needed by
industry and society with due regard to the environment.
Students will take a core set of modules in addition to a
number of options before moving on to the research project
of their study that can be chosen from any relevant research
area within the School.
MSc in Biochemical Engineering
The MSc courses involve one year of study and consist of six
months of coursework followed by a research project. The
programme is suitable in its field for those intending to either
continue in research or who seek to advance their technical
knowledge before entering industry. Candidates with first
degrees in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and the
Biological Sciences are accepted for the MSc in
Biochemical Engineering and there are two parallel
programmes of instruction for students with engineering or
non-engineering backgrounds.
The one-year course consists of two semesters (120 credits
of taught coursework including a 40-credit research module).
Written and oral examinations as well as continuous
assessment are used to assess these modules. The
examinations are taken in January and May/June. If these
are passed satisfactorily, the student passes onto the full-time
research project during the summer. The research dissertation
is submitted in September and is examined externally.
The award of the MSc is dependent upon satisfactory
performance in both coursework and research dissertation.
The normal minimum entrance requirement for an MSc is
a lower second-class degree or equivalent.

MSc in Chemical Engineering
The course involves one year of study and consists of six
months of coursework followed by a research project. Each
programme is suitable in its field for those intending to either
continue in research or who seek to advance their technical
knowledge before entering industry. The MSc in Chemical
Engineering is designed primarily for graduates in chemical
or biochemical engineering. Graduates from allied
disciplines will be considered for entry with supplementary
training (see diploma).
The one-year course consists of two semesters (120 credits
of taught coursework including a 40-credit research module).
Written and oral examinations as well as continuous
assessment are used to assess these modules. The
examinations are taken in January and May/June. If these
are passed satisfactorily, the student passes onto the full-time
research project during the summer. The research dissertation
is submitted in September and is examined externally. The
award of the MSc is dependent upon satisfactory
performance in both coursework and research dissertation.
The normal minimum entrance requirement for an MSc is a
lower second-class degree or equivalent.

Chemical Engineering (Diploma)
This is a conversion course for graduates who wish to work
in the chemical engineering field but who have not obtained
a first degree in Chemical Engineering. The course is set at
first-degree level and lasts a full calendar year. The normal
entrance requirement is a good honours degree or its
equivalent in a science or engineering subject. The Diploma
programmes consist of 12-coursework modules over two
semesters followed by a 6-module plant design project over
the summer period. Through theoretical and practical
modules, the student is taught the basic facets of chemical
engineering. Examinations are taken in January and
May/June. The design project then follows provided the
examinations and coursework are satisfactory. The award of
the diploma is also dependent on a satisfactory performance
in the design project. The diploma ranks as a potential
qualification for entry to higher degrees in Chemical and
Biochemical Engineering and is recognised and accredited
by the Institution of Chemical Engineers and given exemption
from Part III of the Institutionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s examinations.

Engineering: Degree Schemes

PhD and MPhil degrees
PhD and MPhil degrees are offered in a wide range of
research areas which you will find detailed on our website.
If you are interested in pursuing a research degree, you are
advised to contact our admissions and recruitment office
regarding your chosen area of interest before making an
application. We will be able to advise you as to whether
your chosen topic is available for supervision and also
advise you on current available topics.

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

PhD/MPhil/EngD

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Engineering: Degree Schemes

MRes in Computer Modelling in Engineering;
MSc/Diploma in Computational Modelling and Finite
Elements
The MRes course consists of a four-month period of intensively
taught modules from October to the end of January, followed
by an eight-month period of individual research. There are two
streams to the MRes course and students may choose to
specialise in either structures or fluids. The MSc course consists
of an initial six-month period of taught modules. This provides
a good grounding in computer modelling and in the finite
element method, in particular. Following the taught
component, students undertake the project work. A diploma
may be awarded, if the taught component only is completed.
Part-time registration for these courses, for periods up to three
years, can also be arranged.
MSc/MRes in Communication Systems
This course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the
technology and architecture of both computer communications
and telecommunication networks, along with practical
knowledge and skills for project and business management
principles.
MSc/MRes in Communication Systems (Photonics)
Students on this course gain an in-depth understanding of
underlying technology in various photonics and
telecommunications networks. They receive hands-on
experience in developing, optimising and maintaining optical
network architectures and develop career skills to meet the
changing needs of industry and to contribute to our society.
MSc in Communication Systems (Wireless)
This course is intended for students with career interests in the
rapidly developing fields of wireless telecommunications and
related wireless information technologies. It provides the
knowledge and skills required to understand and design
modern wireless telecommunication systems, standards and
their applications. Students are given opportunities to obtain
skills, knowledge and hands-on experience in the broad
area of wireless telecommunication systems, networks and
their applications.

MSc in Communications Systems (Networks)
This course provides an in-depth understanding of underlying
technology in various computer and telecommunication
networks. It enables students to learn important design and
analysis techniques and gain hands-on experience in
developing and maintaining network architectures and
protocols through extended research projects.
MSc in Communication Systems (E-Health and Bio-Applications)
This course is designed to meet the growing demand for
technical professionals to research, design and manage
present and next generation medical systems. It provides the
cutting-edge knowledge in telecommunications and skills
required to understand and design new healthcare solutions
for providing better services to patients. It incorporates special
modules that are relevant to Biomedicine and Biosciences.
Taught modules within the Communications Systems
MSc/MRes courses include:
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MSc in Computational Mechanics
This eighteen-month course is offered in collaboration with other
leading European research centres at CIMNE: Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain), Universität
Stuttgart (Germany) and Ecole Centrale de Nantes (France).
The aim of this course is to provide a multidisciplinary in-depth
training in the application of the finite element method and
related numerical and computational techniques to the solution
of problems in engineering analysis and design and simulation
of current engineering problems. It will provide students with a
wide choice of specialisation areas by incorporating modules
from the four Universities and, in this way, allowing them to
experience postgraduate education in more than one European
institution. Students following this course will take their first
semester in either Swansea or Barcelona, where they will
follow an agreed common set of core modules leading to
common examinations. Students will move to one of the other

Universities, depending upon their preferred specialisation, to
complete their second semester of taught modules and their
research thesis. The course will consist of 90 ECTS credits
and will have common admission and administration
procedures. Fully funded places are available to overseas
students applying to this course. Please visit
www.cimne.com/cm-master for more details about this
course and about how to apply.
MSc in Electronics for Sustainable Energy
The School has an international reputation for electronics
research for energy and advanced semiconductor materials
and devices. This course places strong emphasis on 'state-ofthe-art' electronics for energy efficient devices and power
electronics. The course also covers renewable energy
generation technologies.
Exciting new developments such as ‘plastic electronics’,
energy harvesting, solar cells and biofuels are discussed
and recent developments in nanotechnology are highlighted.
Students will learn about numerical simulation techniques
and have the chance to visit electronics industries with links
to Swansea. The electronics and energy industries are two
of the largest industrial sectors worth hundreds of billions of
dollars worldwide.
MSc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
This course complements the School’s current suite of

undergraduate degree programmes in this field. It is suitable
for candidates who have already completed an
undergraduate degree in the field of Electrical Engineering
either in the UK or overseas.
The course will provide students with the educational
components, set out by the Institution of Engineering and
Technology and other UK and European engineering
professional institutions, for further learning matching sections
needed to qualify as a Chartered Engineer.
Studying the course will enable students to develop specialist
threads commensurate with the specialisms of the School’s
research interests and reflecting the needs of the electrical
and electronic industry.
MRes in Environmental Management
This exciting course is relevant to those with a strong interest
in gaining a solid understanding of the relevance of
environmental management processes. On completion,
students will be capable of developing and implementing
such processes.
Environmental management has become a necessity for
many organisations as they respond to commercial,
regulatory and consumer pressures. The international
standard for environmental management systems, ISO
14001, is increasingly being implemented by industry and

Engineering: Degree Schemes

The MSc course in Civil Engineering provides high quality
postgraduate training and is suitable for both recent graduates
and practising professionals from related industries who are
required to pursue a further learning matching section in order to
achieve a Chartered Engineer status. The course is closely
linked to the MEng scheme in Civil Engineering. The modules
on this course can also be studied as stand-alone modules for
those in employment seeking professional development or further
knowledge in particular subject fields.

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

MSc in Civil Engineering
The School of Engineering has an excellent worldwide
reputation for Civil Engineering. We hold the prestigious 5*
RAE rating combined with the Excellent in Teaching rating.

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Engineering: Degree Schemes

The scheme has shown how an industry-linked Master’s degree
with a major research component can successfully produce
higher degree graduates with the balance of knowledge and
skills very much in demand in these hi-tech industries.
MSc in Mechanical Engineering
The MSc in Mechanical Engineering will suit candidates who
have already completed an undergraduate degree, either at
Swansea or elsewhere, and wish to pursue Chartered status via
the Institution of Mechanical Engineers or who wish to further
their knowledge before entering employment. The modules on
this course can also be studied as stand-alone modules for those
in employment seeking professional development or further
knowledge in particular subject fields. The course aims to give
students a high quality overview of the techniques of modern
Mechanical Engineering and to present examples of use from a
wide range of disciplines and industries.
The modules on this course are of high industrial relevance
and the benefits to employability are immediate. Our aim is
for students to develop the potential to become future leaders
and champions of industry.
MSc/MRes in Nanoscience to Nanotechnology
The growth of the subject of nanotechnology is one of the
most exciting developments in science and engineering in
recent years. Much of the research in this area is
interdisciplinary in nature, drawing expertise from different
areas across the life science, physical science and
engineering disciplines. This Master’s course will cover a
broad range of subject areas, from the latest semiconductor
fabrication technology, right across to biological and medical
applications, with the emphasis throughout on characterisation
and control of materials at the nanoscale.
The nanoscale is broadly defined as the range 1- 100 nm, where
1 nm=10-9 m. The focus will be on both the techniques necessary
for science at these very small dimensions, and the very latest
research developments in this rapidly evolving area. A key part of
this course will be the ability to gain hands-on experience of stateof-the-art fabrication and characterisation techniques such as
atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy, to
name just two. Topics covered will include:

MSc in Radiation Physics
With increasing reliance on modern technology in medicine,
there is a growing need for specialists trained in the physical
sciences. Rapid advances in diagnostic techniques such as
MRI and PET offer new views of human physiology and new
approaches to the treatment of disease. Medical physics is a
highly multidisciplinary subject offering an exciting career with
the additional satisfaction of contributing directly to patient
treatment and care. An accredited MSc, in combination with
a NHS or equivalent training programme, is currently the main
route for graduates seeking the professional qualification of
Clinical Scientist in Medical Physics. The course will be taught
in conjunction with staff from the School of Medicine and
specialist Medical Physicists at Swansea NHS Trust.
This course provides students with the necessary knowledge
and understanding of fundamental aspects of the use of
radiation in medicine in order that students are conversant in
medical terms, human physiology and radiation mechanisms.
MRes in Recycling Technology (part-time only)
This one-year full-time degree scheme has been designed to
provide graduates with the technical and commercial
knowledge required for careers in the recycling field, in both the
commercial and public sectors. The wide variety of topics taught
on this course includes technical, business, economic and legal
issues associated with recycling and environmental sustainability.
This breadth of topics allows recruitment of students from a wide
diversity of backgrounds and applications from all graduates are
considered on their merits.
MRes in Steel Process and Product Development
(part-time only)
Career development of engineers already working in industry
is being met by a series of EPSRC-supported IGDS programme
in Steel Process and Product Development, which leads to the
MRes degree by part-time study, for delegates in full-time
employment by the steel sector. The current programmes build
on the full-time MRes schemes offering specific options to
satisfy the requirements of the steel industry.

approaches to risk assessment in water supply, and
operational and maintenance strategies.

MRes in Water Technology and Management
Water Technology and Management are at the heart of the
global goals for people to have uninterrupted access to safe
drinking water, and for water supply systems to be designed
and operated properly, to avoid the spread of human disease.
The focus of the course will be the treatment technologies that
produce drinking water and their optimisation, the new

Great emphasis is placed on obtaining the practical skills
necessary for working in water technology and
management, with two-thirds of the course marks coming
from the research project. It is expected that many of the
projects will be based in industry with water companies,
engineering consultancies, contractors or manufacturers,
enhancing the relevance of the research undertaken.

Engineering: Degree Schemes

MRes in Materials Engineering (Power/Aerospace)
This full-time MRes degree scheme in Materials Engineering
(Power/Aerospace) is supported by the major UK power
industries, including Innogy, Airbus, BNFL (Magnox), Cogent
and Rolls-Royce.

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www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

governmental organisations to satisfy these pressures and
provides a structured basis for achieving continual
environmental improvement, for maintaining regulatory
compliance and for the prevention of pollution. In many cases
it can lead to significant cost savings. A significant part of the
scheme will be spent working on a major research project,
based either at the University or in industry.

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Engineering: Advanced Telecommunications

IAT attracts leading pioneering academics and technologists
who have experience of collaborating or working in key
positions with blue-chip telecommunication companies and
offer proven expertise in fast moving areas of research.
Our schemes are offered in an excellent teaching and research
environment with international recognition. On completing the
programmes, graduates are equipped with specific and
transferable skills to enable them to have a lasting and
successful career, relevant to the changing needs of society.

IAT have extensive laboratory facilities worth in excess of
£4m allowing students to gain hands-on experience during
their studies. We have exclusive test equipment allowing us
to be at the forefront of research.
The work of IAT is complemented by areas of research within
the School of Engineering.
Systems, Control and Software Engineering
The group is actively working on the modelling, analysis and
design of systems; document-centred design environments and
software engineering process and metrics. Within the group,
there is significant support for multidisciplinary modelling,
symbolic tools and graphical user interfaces and intelligent
support for modelling. In particular, the application of
neuro-fuzzy methods to industrial control systems, case-base
reasoning for diagnosis systems and the repair of manufacturing
schedules is being applied to real-life problems.

Financially supported by Objective 1 Funding through the Welsh
European Funding Office (WEFO) and private sector partners, IAT
is focused on developing products with real commercial potential.
In establishing a research-led environment that attracts talented
individuals and innovative companies, IAT aims to play a significant
role in contributing to Wales' knowledge-based economy.

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

Building on Swansea University's enviable multidisciplinary research strengths in Engineering,
Computing, Physics and Mathematics, the Institute of Advanced Telecommunications (IAT) integrates
groundbreaking academic research with knowledge transfer expertise. www.swansea.ac.uk/iat

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Engineering: Civil and Computational Engineering Centre

75

To strengthen this research excellence, and to broaden its
application to other areas of engineering, the Civil and
Computational Engineering Centre has been formed by
including academic staff and researchers from other
engineering disciplines who are also active in computational or
applied mechanics. The resulting group of researchers
represents an unrivalled concentration of knowledge and
expertise in this field. Moreover, the Centre has utilised an
award of £3m from the Science Research Infrastructure Fund
(SRIF) to provide state-of-the-art research facilities.
The Civil and Computational Engineering Centre is recognised
as a Centre of Excellence by the former Welsh Development
Agency and has been designated as a preferred academic
partner by BAE Systems in the areas of both computational
electromagnetics and computational engineering.

Research
The Centre offers an outstanding international environment for
research and provides fully-financed research-training
programmes at Master’s and Doctorate levels: MSc, MRes,
MPhil, PhD, EngD.
The Centre is housed in a modern purpose-built
accommodation in the Talbot building. The Centre has
excellent computing facilities which include high-spec PC
machines, multiprocessor computers with virtual reality
facilities, and high-speed networking. Current research
includes a continuously expanding number of topics in the
area of computational and applied mechanics.
Applied Mechanics
Studies are being undertaken into all aspects of mechanical
vibration, including experimental, computational and
analytical techniques. A particular strength is the identification
of unknown parameters in complex structural models. Further
work in rotodynamics includes the analysis and identification
of bends, unbalance and rubs in machines from vibration
analysis. Another field of interest is the analysis of smart
structures, including the development of control algorithms and
the modelling of structures including viscoelastic components.

Biomedical Engineering
In recent years, there has been significant technology transfer
from conventional areas of engineering to biomedical
applications. Research into the modelling of human body
impact problems uses the finite element method to determine
impact stresses in the human body resulting from common sport
actions, such as heading a football or shin impact. At present,
a large-strain dynamic computer code has been developed
which can use tetrahedral meshes and adaptive re-meshing. A
capability for modelling complex constitutive equations, such as
large-strain viscoelasticity for the simulation of soft human tissue,
is currently being added. At the same time, meshes of the
lower leg and the skull are being produced in order to test the
models. The simulation of superplastic forming of dental
prosthesis is being conducted in collaboration with medical
staff from Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospitals
in London. Other application areas of interest include the
modelling of air flow in the airways, blood flow and medical
imaging for mesh generation.
Computational Electromagnetics
Unstructured grid technology, developed originally for
computational aerodynamics, is being employed in the area of
computational electromagnetics. At present, most analysis
algorithms employ low-order approximations and the
subsequent wave propagation characteristics, coupled with the
electrical length of the vehicle, lead to enormous mesh
requirements for high-frequency simulations. It is apparent that
there is significant scope for algorithm improvement to enable
the completion of such simulations within time scales that are
realistic for the designer. Activities in this area are concentrating
on the development of viable high-order methods, including
discontinuous Galerkin and plane wave techniques.
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Unstructured grid technology applied to problems in fluid
mechanics has been the subject of intensive research
development over a period of 20 years. A particularly
successful application area for the approach has been in the
aerospace industry. In the UK and Europe, computational
aerodynamics now plays an important industrial role and it
has significantly influenced the design of modern aircraft. The

aerodynamic design of the THRUST II supersonic car was
supported by computational models developed in the
Centre. In addition, many major aerospace companies now
employ simulation techniques based upon the FLITE
unstructured mesh-based computer system, originally
developed at Swansea. In collaboration with NASA, Boeing
and Rolls-Royce Aero Engines, there is ongoing work
exploring the prediction of massively separated flows and
the complex vortex structures that arise. The capability to
model complex flows is also being used in the context of jet
noise reduction modelling and this is an area that is
attracting significant UK government funding. In the work on
subsurface petroleum reservoir simulation, the coupled
hyperbolic-elliptic flow equation system is modelled on
unstructured grids. New finite volume methods for solving
these equations are under development, together with rock
property upscaling and grid generation techniques.
Computer-Based Simulation of Polymer Processing
Research in this area has been focused on the computational
simulation of advanced injection moulding (dual injection
moulding, gas-assisted injection moulding, SCORIM, etc.) and
extrusion (expert system driven optimisation of polymer profile
extrusion dies for PVC, rubber, etc.).This work has been in
collaboration with polymer processing companies and has been
particularly successful in combining computer-based simulation,
computer-assisted design and optimisation technologies.
Environmental Modelling
There is currently an initiative within the Centre to apply the
available expertise in computation to the solution of
environmental problems. One programme has focused on
the development of a technique to enable industries to assess
the impact on the environment of their activities. Another
activity has recently been initiated following the introduction
of the new regulations from the European Union on the

concentrations of lead in drinking water. This work uses
computer simulation to model lead transfer from pipes into
the drinking water supply and, using stochastic techniques,
assesses the impact of lead within a city or catchment area.
The development of techniques for the computer simulation of
water treatment processes is also receiving attention. Work
in this area is being undertaken in collaboration with the
Water Research Centre and a number of water companies.
Error Estimation
The development of error estimators, combined with
adaptivity techniques to control the errors in computer
simulation, is a generic technology that, in the longer term,
must be a goal of computational scientists. It is most
important to engineers who seek solutions to complex
problems. Current developments are aimed at the efficient
evaluation of strict bounds of desired solution outputs for
linear and non-linear problems.
Geotechnics
For many years, the computer simulation of geomaterials and
related problems in geotechnical engineering has received
considerable attention. Some of the ongoing projects
include: the development and validation of computer models
for frost damage to masonry; the analysis of stone column
reinforced foundations; the application of homogenisation
techniques to composite materials such as partially saturated
soils; the constitutive modelling of masonry; risk analysis and
assessment of partial factors of safety for masonry structures;
shakedown analysis of offshore structures; and strain
localisation and percolation theory applied to geomaterials.

Engineering: Civil and Computational Engineering Centre

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

Over the last 30 years Swansea University has been at the forefront of international research in the
area of computational engineering. Engineers at Swansea have pioneered the development of
numerical techniques, such as the finite element method and associated computational procedures,
that have enabled the solution of many complex engineering problems. Originally, the activities in
this field were led by the academic staff of the Civil Engineering Department, which has consistently
achieved the highest rating in all the Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) carried out to date.

76

Engineering: Civil and Computational Engineering Centre

Intelligent and Adaptive Computing
Extensive research has been undertaken into the simulation
of a variety of casting processes (flow, stress and thermal
simulation in gravity, sand, investment, pressure die-casting
and squeeze-casting processes), the simulation of coupled
flow and deformation problems in porous media
(consolidation problems, petroleum reservoir simulation, drying
processes in porous capillary bodies) and the constitutive
modelling of powder compaction process. More recently,
work has focused on novel computing techniques including
neurocomputing, optimisation techniques, multiscale modelling
and molecular dynamics simulation coupled with finite element
simulation to support the research activities. A related activity
is the computational simulation of coupled thermal, flow and
stress problems ranging from a nanometre scale to kilometre
scale and the research activities within this area receive
extensive external funding.
Multi-Physics Modelling
Computational modelling, especially in the context of
manufacturing, often involves capturing the interaction
amongst a range of continuum phenomena, from fluids and
solids subject to thermal and electromagnetic field loadings.
Research in this area has focused upon what is now
collectively known as multi-physics modelling, using special
numerical methods and software tools which exploit highperformance parallel cluster computing systems.
Particle-Based Meshless Methods
The aim of this work is to develop a new computational
technique which does not rely on the existence of a mesh.
For this purpose, the continuum is modelled as a collection
of arbitrarily placed particles connected together by local

interpolation functions. The absence of a mesh makes this type
of technique ideally suited to problems where there is
significant deformation, which would lead to entanglement of
traditional meshes. At present, the method has been applied
to simulate free surface water flows, metal forming processes,
such as forging, and to problems such as mould filling in
pressure die-casting, mud flows and avalanches.
Simulation of Multi-Fracturing Solids and Particulate Media
Understanding the theoretical principles and associated
computational strategies for non-linearly behaving solids has
advanced remarkably over the past decade or so. There has
been intensive activity worldwide in this computational research
area and research in the Centre has played a prominent role in
contributing to the current state-of-the-art. Growth in computational
power has also led to an increasing interest in discrete element
methods, in which individual material elements are considered to
be separate and are (possibly) connected only along their
boundaries by appropriate physically-based interaction laws. The
incorporation of deformation kinematics into this formulation has
also led naturally to combined finite element/discrete element
approaches in which problems are analysed by a combination
of the two methods. Current research developments include highvelocity impact involving penetration and fragmentation; the
simulation of commercial rock-blasting operations; the simulation
of shot-peening and peen-forming operations for aerospace and
other components; the prediction of damage to seismic action
and assessment of alternative repair strategies for historic
masonry structures; the modelling of granulation processes for
food production, which requires coupling with fluid flow codes;
and the prediction of damage in laminated composites caused
by low-velocity impacts.
Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimal Design
Research in this area has demonstrated how the application of
optimisation techniques can lead to substantial improvements
in cost, safety and performance of structural components in the
sectors of aerospace, automotive and mechanical engineering
as well as in material processing aspects.
Virtual Reality and Visualisation of Computational Data
The visualisation and interpretation of data generated from
computer simulation is an important issue in computation and
simulation. Research groups at Swansea have undertaken
innovative work in this area, including the development of
parallel visualisation techniques to address large data sets
resulting from large-scale simulations, and the investigation into
the use of immersive environments using virtual reality. A major
new Virtual Reality Studio houses a state-of-the-art VR CAVE
facility which enables users to collaboratively engage in
interactive, real-time data analysis in a visually immersive
environment. The CAVE provides the ideal environment for
groups to interact with 3D models as if they were physically
located in the room.

Innovative and industrially relevant researches are hallmarks of the work carried out within
the Materials Research Centre (MRC). The quality of the research and postgraduate training
programmes has been recognised through the Queen's Anniversary Prize, with the award
citation defining Materials Engineering at Swansea as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;recognised centre of excellence,
with an international reputationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.
The Centre offers MRes courses in Materials Engineering
(Power/Aerospace), Steel Technology and Recycling
Technology. Engineering Doctorate (EngD) degrees are
offered that provide specialist programmes that integrate
training and research, in collaboration with the
power/aerospace industries and the steel technology sector.
PhD programmes of work are available throughout the MRC
that focus on fundamental aspects of materials development,
processing and application.
Materials research at Swansea is housed in spacious
purpose-built accommodation, with well-equipped modern
laboratories, multimedia suites and excellent postgraduate
study rooms.

Specialist research facilities include: comprehensive
computer systems for specialist and general purposes; worldleading equipment for characterisation of the mechanical
properties of metallic, ceramic, polymeric and composite
materials; an extensive range of laboratories housing
scanning electron microscopes with full microanalysis and
electron backscatter diffraction capabilities, X-ray diffraction
machines, optical microscopes and image analysis facilities.
All research programmes are supported by skilled technical
staff. They are based within the specialised machine shops
and provide expert advice on mechanical testing and heattreatment requirements.

Engineering: Materials Research Centre

Human/Computer Interface
The human/computer interface is a fundamentally important
area of research in computer simulation and the concept of
computational steering has been explored in some depth.
Using this idea, a user of simulation software can be guided,
with the use of concepts from expert systems, through the
process of computational modelling. Furthermore, the
development of problem-solving environments is a major topic
of interest both in the computational community and to
computer scientists. Staff in the Centre have invested
significant effort to develop an environment within which
generic computational modules are embedded and in which
arbitrary application software can be integrated.

77

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

High-Performance Computing
A significant amount of research effort has been expended in
ensuring that available parallel computer platforms can be
used to maximum efficiency. This area will continue to be a
high priority as the solution of large scale, practical problems
is addressed. Of particular importance will be research into
algorithms which naturally lend themselves to scalability on
parallel platforms and to load balancing for problems
involving dynamic adaptation.

Engineering: Materials Research Centre

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Engineering: Materials Research Centre

The Materials Research Centre incorporates the following
internationally recognised research groups:
Power and Aerospace Materials
This interdisciplinary research team offers an exciting range
of practical and theoretical research programmes focused on
the development of new materials and their characterisation
through innovative measurement methods and advanced
computer modelling. These include:
• Right-first-time manufacture by forging and related metalforming processes (CAD/CAM) and by casting (CADCAST)
• Design against failure by creep, fatigue and environmental
damage, and computer-aided materials selection, design
and manufacture
Research excellence is recognised through designation
of the Power and Aerospace group as:
• A lead partner in the Rolls-Royce University Technology
Partnership
• A primary partner in the BAE Systems Virtual University
• A preferred University Partner for Airbus UK
These links provide opportunities for the students to
work closely with industry.
Grain Boundary Engineering
Within the MRC resides world-leading expertise in the
development of orientation mapping (electron backscatter
diffraction) for advanced quantitative materials
characterisation. Applications of this innovative technology,
for which several EPSRC grants have been awarded, include:
• The role of interfaces in the fracture resistance of power
generation materials (in collaboration with BNFL Magnox
Generation)
• Analysis of grain boundary surface crystallography in
large sample populations comprising tens of thousands of
grains (in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University,
USA).
• The mechanisms of grain boundary engineering in both
model systems and commercially relevant alloys
Environment and Sustainable Materials: The Polymers and
Composites group has taken advantage of recent rapid
advances in the production of new plastics and composites,
which have led to ranges of high-performance materials,
present challenging problems in microstructure control and

property characterisation for engineering design.
The Polymers and Composites group enjoys strong
industry support in the areas of:
• Design for durability, including creep, fatigue
and environmental stress cracking
• Computer-aided polymer engineering
• Recycling of polymers and composites
The Corrosion group is heavily involved in the EPSRC
Engineering Doctorate programme at Swansea and enjoys
strong partnerships with various companies including Corus,
Alcan, Crown, Akzo-Nobel and Ford. This team has
developed state-of-the-art scanning electrochemical
instrumentation allowing the group to enjoy world-class
status in areas including:
• Non-toxic environmentally friendly anti-corrosion coatings
development using ceramic ion-exchange pigments and
electrically conducting polymers
• Non-destructive fingerprint detection using scanning
Kelvin probe potentiometry. This government-funded
research is part of Britain's anti-terrorist security programme
• Assessing the environmental impact of corrosion and
anti-corrosion products using a range of ultra sensitive
analytical methods such as induction coupled plasma
mass spectrometry
In the Steel Products Centre, outstanding levels of industrial
funding are being attracted to support fundamental and
applied research programmes in the areas of:
• Development of novel strip steel grades (IF, HSLA,
Dual Phase, TRIP)
• Fatigue performance of welded components in high
strength steels for automotive applications
• Development of computer models for process
optimisation and improved steel product quality
The Physical Metallurgy and Phase Transformations group
is heavily involved in the EPSRC Steel Products Centre,
attracting strong financial support from leading companies
in the metals sector, including Corus Strip Products and
Niobium Products GMBH. The group also supports the
Engineering Doctorate programme, especially in the areas
of Product Metallurgy and Automotive Applications.
CETIC
The Materials research groups at Swansea are also
designated a Centre of Excellence for Technology and
Industrial Collaboration, which is sponsored by the Welsh
Assembly Government. The CETIC investment provides
world-class scientific, technical and research resources for
the benefit of local, national and international companies,
including organisations seeking to invest in Wales.

Swansea has a strong history of innovative and creative engineering which is epitomised
by the cutting-edge research conducted within the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre
(MNC). Engineering at the nanometre scale is one of the greatest challenges known to
modern man and has the potential to revolutionise the way we live our lives, from Star
Trek-like gadgets through to site specific medical diagnosis and drug delivery within the
human body. Indeed, the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre at Swansea has
developed in international reputation in many new fields that stretch traditional engineering
concepts to the extreme. This has only been made possible by radical thinking that
combines engineering with physics, biology and medicine. Therefore, the Multidisciplinary
Nanotechnology Centre has an active strategy to develop projects that bridge traditional
disciplines to provide a step change in technology.

Engineering: Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre

Research

79

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

In addition to the funding available for postgraduates
registered for conventional MPhil and PhD degrees, the
Materials Research Centre offers competitive studentships for
Research Masters (MRes) and Engineering Doctorate (EngD)
programmes (with awards of up to £17,000 tax free per
annum for UK students). Both schemes were piloted at the
Centre and have subsequently grown substantially in stature
with over 60 students registered at the present time.

Engineering: Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre

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Engineering: Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre

The Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre has a state-ofthe-art nanotechnology laboratory suite (500m2) housing
cutting-edge fabrication and characterisation facilities.
Equipment includes 2 UHV Omicron Nanotechnology SPMs
(1 STM/AFM, 1 STM/ESCA and 1 STM/SEM), 5 Vecco
AFMs (2 explorers, 1 Nanoman and 1 Picoforce), 2 Vecco
SNOMs (Aurora II and III) and 5 desktop SPM systems. Many
of these systems have been adapted for a variety of
environments and novel applications, for example, the in situ
growth of organic and inorganic material and the
combination of AFM with high-speed photography (5ns
intervals) to study cavitation in fluids. In addition, a variety of
spectroscopic techniques are available, XPS, AES, confocal
RAMAN, mass spectrometry, ICP spectroscopy and photo
correlation spectroscopy for particle sizing down to 1nm.This
is also supported by laser diffraction particle sizing, free
solution electrophoresis BET and gas porosimetry,

Research Activities
Activities within the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology
Centre include:
Nano-electronics and Nano-sensors
This is an important research area of the Centre covering the
miniaturisation of device technology, the so-called top-down
approach, to create ultra-compact electronic systems, and the
bottom-up approach based on nanoscale fabrication from
individual atoms to generate a new breed of electronic
devices. Research projects include band engineering and
passivation of opto-electronic devices at the nanoscale,
nanocrystalline gas sensors, novel quantum-dot-based devices,
nanoscale patterning and functionalisation, modelling
electronic properties of devices and nano-systems.
Bio-electronics
Replacing existing material systems (metals, insulators and
semiconductors) with biocompatible platforms will revolutionise
the possibilities of device application, particularly in the
medical field. Areas of current interest within the Centre include
the next generation of electronic materials based on conducting
polymers and DNA, where engineering material properties and
junction conductivity at the nanoscale via selective
functionalisation is of key interest. Another novel area of
investigation includes nanoscale power sources and biosensors
using bacteria and cells. The Centre also has an interest in
developing methods to control and optimise the electronic
properties of inorganic-organic interfaces to allow integration of
conventional materials with new device platforms.
Bio-Nanotechnology
The Centre uses many new technologies to study biological
interactions at the molecular and atomic level. There is a
range of scanning probe microscopes for measuring atomic
forces associated with the interactions of liquids, particles and
solids. This provides fundamental data for studying process
critical properties such as the adhesion, self-assembly and the
physical (especially mechanical and electrical) properties of
molecules at the molecular scale leading to better
understanding of proteins, microbial and animal cell
interactions at surfaces or in fluids. The Centre leads the field
in using AFM to study membrane separation processes and
has developed groundbreaking methods to study the
behaviour of colloids and bio-colloids.

Studying the Structure of Blood Clots
Part of a prestigious £3.1m Portfolio Partnership grant by the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
(EPSRC) is being used to develop collaborative research
involving the NHS Trust Hospital at Morriston and the new
UWS Medical School. Professor Rhodri Williams and his
rheology research group are collaborating with Dr Adrian
Evans, an NHS Consultant in Emergency Medicine and
Senior Lecturer at the University’s new Medical School. This
collaborative work concerns the management of
haemorrhage in trauma patients and the development of
new approaches to monitoring and understanding blood
coagulation and blood clot structure. Some of the
experimental work will be conducted in a new
Haemorheology Laboratory within the A&E Unit at Morriston
Hospital. This work will involve a rheological technique
known as Fourier Transform Mechanical Spectroscopy which
provides information concerning the elastic and viscous
responses of blood clots to imposed deformation and stress
waves. In addition, a new NMR Spectrometer at the MNC
is being used to provide structural information on blood clots
from healthy and diseased patients.
Colloids and Interfaces
The Centre has extensive experience studying the surface
properties of dispersed materials in the size range 1
micrometre to 1 nanometre and has used the resulting
fundamental understanding to design and operate industrial
processes – both inorganic processing in the minerals
industry and bio-processing such as protein production.
Extensive experimentation is complemented by numerical
quantification of multi-particle interactions and particle
surface interaction.
Nano-medicine
One of the most compelling directions for the future lies in
the impact that nanotechnology will have in medicine.
Nano-medicine is a burgeoning field that will have
significant scientific and economic impact across the globe,
where next generation medical advances will be based on
understanding and engineering biological functionality at the
nanoscale for both in vivo and in vitro applications. Our
improved understanding of the functioning of the human
body at the molecular and nanometre scale as well as our
ability to intervene at pre-symptomatic, acute or chronic
stages of an illness are of utmost importance to meet the
needs of modern society. In addition to the current portfolio
of projects in the MNC, 4 RCUK fellowships have been
recently awarded to a joint venture between the MNC and
Medical School at Swansea in the field on nano-medicine.
Membrane Separation Processes
Membrane separation processes are the most important
modern developments in separation of multicomponent
fluids. The Centre is a leading exponent of the
understanding and development of these processes. A major
aim of this work has been to develop quantitative methods

for predicting the performance of membrane micro-filtration,
ultra-filtration and nano-filtration, so facilitating the design
and optimisation of these processes for new applications.
Rheometry
The Centre's activity in rheometry focuses on exploiting the
viscoelastic dispersion of high (audio) frequency shear waves
to characterise the rheology of complex fluids of fundamental
and applied relevance. Novel instruments such as the Virtual
Gap Rheometer and the Pulsed Resonance Rheometer, both
invented at the Centre, are being used to relate the evolution
of viscoelastic properties under process conditions to
parameters controlling factors such as long term mechanical
stability of fluids. In addition, the Centre has pioneered the
development of high-speed photography in conjunction with
the AFM for ‘real-time’ cavitation studies in liquids.
Polymers Physics
This research area looks at the structure and morphology of
macromolecules at interfaces and in thin films. Many
physical processes are dominated by interfacial phenomena
and the behaviour of macromolecules at interfaces can often
be quite different to their behaviour in the bulk. Many
emerging technologies are built around the properties of
polymer molecules at interfaces, such as bio-sensors in which
enzymes are immobilised at electrodes and organic
optoelectronic devices, where charge separation/
recombination and conduction takes place at internal
interfaces. The research is currently focused on two specific
areas: i) The relationship between the structure of
semiconducting (conjugated) polymers and the performance
of plastic electronic devices such as transistors and light
emitting diodes; ii) The study of instabilities in thin liquid films
on substrates, with the aim of controlling surface patterns.
This work also involves conjugated polymers. These research
activities involve a variety of laboratory-based experiments
using techniques such as scanning probe microscopy and
optical microscopy, as well as experiments such as neutron
reflectivity and x-ray diffraction performed at central facilities
in the UK (e.g. ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Lab.) and abroad
(e.g. Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France).
Theoretical Modelling
One of our main areas of research is the calculation of the
optical properties, such as gain and spontaneous emission
from self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots structures.
This enables us to model the dynamics of optoelectronic
devices (lasers, LEDs and amplifiers) employing quantum dot
structures as their active region. We are also interested in the
theory of colloidal semiconductor quantum dots with a view
to their use in Fluorescence Resonant Energy Transfer
imaging techniques and also the tunnelling between
quantum dots for applications such as charge writing and
quantum computing. Study self-assembly of droplets using a
random sequential adsorption (RSA) model is also an area of
interest for the development of smart polymer scaffolds. We
are looking to verify these calculations using Near-Field
Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) and time resolve

Engineering: Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre

The MNC has a home within the School of Engineering at
Swansea and has achieved significant recognition from the
international community, the UK Research Councils, the
European Union, the regional development agency and
industry. As a measure of the success of the Centre, it is
home to a prestigious EPSRC Portfolio Partnership in Complex
Fluids and Complex Flows. This is a major award worth
£3m and is a reflection of the high quality research carried out
in the Centre. Furthermore, the Centre spearheads the
nanotechnology activity across the University and the whole of
Wales. Within Swansea, the Centre involves more than 30
academics from a range of disciplines (engineering, physics,
chemistry, biology and medicine) and a central suite of
laboratories housing unrivalled state-of-the-art facilities. The
rapid growth of the Centre and the interest that it has
generated has resulted in many new initiatives. For example,
the creation of a new Masters of Research (MRes) course titled
Nanoscience to Nanotechnology which began in October
2005 which has proven to be extremely popular. From a
research perspective, what is now clear is that major investment
is required to create a new branch of the Pan-Wales MNC
directed at the field of nano-medicine to capitalise on the
expertise available within Wales and the scientific and
strategic opportunities that will arise in the near future. Hence,
in partnership with Cardiff University and the Medical Schools
at Swansea and Cardiff, the creation of a Welsh Centre for
nano-medicine is being explored.

microcalorimetry, a comprehensive range of rheometers, gas
liquid chromatography and HPLC. Other equipment includes a
fully-equipped cleanroom for device fabrication, a new
biotechnology pilot plant, pilot-scale membrane filtration
equipment (micro- to nano-filtration) and reverse osmosis.
Theoretical modelling of quantum properties of nanostructures,
cavitation in fluids and process control also support the
research. The Centre has access to a plethora of techniques
and facilities throughout Wales with our partners in the PanWales Nanotechnology initiative that the Centre coordinates.

www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering

The Centre was founded in 2002 based on strong and rapidly
growing nanotechnology activities in engineering and physics
and supported by significant investment from HEFCW via the
Research Capacity Development Fund to the sum of £1.54m.
This award acted as a catalyst enabling additional funding of
£0.25m from the Royal Society/Wolfson Foundation to be
attracted. Furthermore, the formation of the Centre was
identified as an area for strategic investment from the University
and hence £0.85m from SRIF2 was directed towards the
project. The Centre was officially opened by Professor Sir
David King in January 2006.

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Engineering: Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre

Bioprocess Technology
The successful scale-up and hence exploitation of many of the
recent developments in biotechnology depends on effective
mixing in bioreactors and on the efficient recovery and
separation of the desired products. The biological materials
handled are extremely complex both in composition and
physical properties and their processing is a key feature of the
Centre's work. The underlying principles of this work are being
applied to related biomedical problems.
Food Process Engineering
The Centre is undertaking several projects related to Agri-food
and beverage processing industries. Currently under
development are innovative methods of rapid maturation and
fermentation of alcoholic beverages, the intensive production
of microbes for process inoculants and biotransformation using
membrane bioreactors. We also have membrane pilot-scale
equipment for the development and implementation of novel
processing methods in the food and beverage industry. We
are investigating the removal and/or production of colours
and flavour compounds from foods, beverages and plants.
Most of the projects described above support recognised
centres of excellence within the Multidisciplinary
Nanotechnology Centre (MNC), namely the Centre for
Complex Fluids Processing (CCFP) and the Welsh Centre for
Printing and Coating (WCPC).
Centre for Complex Fluids Processing
The Centre for Complex Fluids Processing is an international
centre, leading in the fields of membrane separation
processes, bioprocess technology, food technology,
rheometry, colloids and interfaces, atomic force microscopy
and nanotechnology. The processing of complex fluids is a
major feature of modern industry. Such fluids are extremely
diverse in origin and composition ranging for example, from

biotechnological materials and food products to mineral
slurries and inks. However, underlying this diversity are certain
properties that must be understood if the processing is to be
effective and efficient. These include the flow behaviour in
process equipment, how components of the fluid determine its
overall properties and how individual components may be
selectively separated. The Centre is the recipient of a
prestigious EPSRC platform grant awarded to world-leading
groups with continuity of funding for longer term research and
international networking. The Centre is also recognised as a
centre of expertise (CETIC) as we have a proven track record
of collaboration with large and small companies.
Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating
Printing and coating is one of the largest industry sectors and the
WCPC is a world-leading research centre focusing on
investigating printing and coating as a manufacturing process. It
has purpose-built fully-equipped air-conditioned laboratories for
measurement of printed and coated products. The Centre enjoys
access to industrial printing facilities and also works closely with
all components in the supply chain, including ink, substrate and
machinery suppliers. This work is done with companies that lead
these fields. A number of industrially sponsored studentships are
available annually. These are awarded by world-leading
companies that work closely with the Centre.

Electronics Systems Design Research
We have particular interests in power electronics and microelectronics. Almost every piece of modern electronic
equipment relies heavily on power electronics. It provides
electrical energy in a clean form for applications as diverse
as mobile phones to large power units on electrically driven
ships. The use of power electronics is all about efficient use
of energy in all these applications and at all power levels.
We are best known for our research in groundbreaking
Power IC technology, which combines power devices with
low voltage control IC technology, the key technology for
more energy efficient electronics.
We are a world leader in semiconductor device modelling,
FEM and compact modelling; the TCAD Studio
(www.esemi.com) Technology and Device Simulation
package, which is used in industry and many universities,
came from this research group. The application of power
electronics in embedded energy generation is also an area
of rapid growth within the group.
The researchers within the centre are also developing state-ofthe-art SiC semiconductor technology; silicon carbide-based
power semiconductor devices are promising candidates for ultra
high power systems such as those regulating the national grid.
The group is internationally and nationally well recognised
and is funded by industrial, European, DTI and EPSRC grants.
Industrial partners include names such as ZETEX, X-Fab,
TOYOTA, IQE and Pure Wafer.

English within the School of Arts is characterised by breadth and diversity. The subject is home
to the Centre for Research into the English Literature and Language of Wales (CREW), the
Centre for Research into Gender in Culture and Society (GENCAS), the Centre for Medieval
and Early Modern Research (MEMO), and to teaching and research activity in creative and
media writing conducted by prize-winning writers of fiction, poetry and drama. Weekly research
seminars are organised in all these areas, as well as regular symposia and conferences.
English has access to important subject CD-ROMs, including
English Poetry Full-Text Database, English Verse drama,
Editions and Adaptations of Shakespeare, EighteenthCentury Fiction, Brontë sisters’ novels, the MLA International
Bibliography, British Humanities Index, and the Annotated
Bibliography for English Studies. It possesses the Archive of
Welsh English (based on the Survey of Anglo-Welsh
Dialects) and a Raymond Williams archive. The Library has
good holdings in all English’s research areas, and has
collections of nineteenth-century periodicals, including the
complete nineteenth-century Examiner on microfilm.

Taught Courses

The extensive Anglo-Welsh material is supplemented by three
other important local collections: the Gwyn Thomas and the
John Ormond collections at the Miners’ Library and the
Dylan Thomas collection in the City and County of
Swansea’s Central Library. Through CREW, English is in the
process of building a collection of manuscript materials by
leading Anglo-Welsh writers, and is involved in research
exploration of the newly acquired Richard Burton papers, as
well as interdisciplinary studies in collaboration with a new
Richard Burton Centre.

MA in English
• Four modules from anywhere on English’s MA menu
(excluding the MA in Creative and Media Writing)
• Taught and supervised Research Skills Training
• Dissertation in any area of the Department’s MA provision
Compulsory Modules
• Study and Research Skills in the Humanities
• Research Practice (in English)

English

Printing and Coating
The Centre undertakes research into image transfer
mechanisms of high-volume printing and coating processes.
This includes experimental programmes as well as the
development of models to simulate and analyse all aspects of
the process. Fundamental work focuses on flow in thin fluid
films, splitting and cavitation as well as transfer onto/into
impermeable and permeable substrates. Fundamental
experimental work is undertaken on process optimisation with
respect to product quality and this has contributed significantly
to the development of ISO standards. Practical applications
focus on graphics printing and industrial printing. Example
project areas include printing and in-mould decoration for
plastic displays, industrial sensors and membrane switches.

83

www.swansea.ac.uk/english

photoluminescence in collaboration with Cardiff University.
In collaboration with the University of Wales, Bangor we
are modelling the chaotic operation of laser diodes for
applications such as chaotic data encryption and ranging
applications. In particular, we are interested in the
synchronisation of non-linear systems.

English

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English

Compulsory Modules
• Study and Research Skills in the Humanities
• Research Practice (in Welsh Writing in English)
Optional Modules
• Dylan Thomas and the Idea of Welsh Writing in English
• Locating Wales: Comparative Perspectives
• Women Writing Modern Wales
• ‘American Wales’: Writing the Transatlantic
• Welsh Identities: Literature and Nationhood
MA in Creative and Media Writing
Run jointly by English and Media and Communication Studies,
the MA in Creative and Media Writing is a unique
programme that offers integrated training in the writing of
literary and media text. The MA provides core training and
individual pathways in the major genres of contemporary
literary and media writing.
Compulsory Modules
• Writing Fiction
• Writing Poetry
• Screenwriting
Optional Modules (choose 3)
• Feature Writing
• Travel Writing
• Writing Fiction II
• Writing Poetry II
• Writing for Radio
• Genre
• Writing the Self
After the core and optional elements, students write a
dissertation portfolio in a genre of their choosing. This is a
creative piece – in prose, poetry or drama script –
accompanied by a commentary placing the work in its
academic context.
MA in Gender and Culture
An interdisciplinary MA scheme taught by gender specialists
across the School of Arts and School of Humanities (Classics,
Ancient History and Egyptology, English, European
Languages, History, Media Studies, Sociology and
Anthropology).

Optional Modules (choose 4)
• British Women’s Fiction 1918-1939
• Women Writers of the 1940s
• Women Writing India
• Gender Trouble, the Medieval Anchorite, and Issues of
Wombs and Tombs
• ‘The Great Pretender’: Masculinity in Contemporary
Women’s Fiction
• ‘The Unsex’d Females’: Women Writers and the French
Revolution
• Contemporary Women’s Writing
• Gendered Approaches to Myth and Fairytale
• Contemporary German Women’s Writing
• Gender in Contemporary European Culture
• Angela Carter
• Literature in Social Context
• Women and Gender in Ancient Egypt
• Cultural Awareness: Policy, Practice, Analysis
• Cultural Difference and Change in British Society
• Cultural Systems around the World
• Cultural Difference: Reflexive Practice
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Quantitative Research Methods
Optional modules are also available from across the English
MA schemes and from schemes offered by other subject
areas. Students write a dissertation in or across any of the
subject disciplines contributing to the scheme.
MA in Modernism(s)
An interdisciplinary scheme coordinated by English and
French specialists, the MA incorporates modules across the
School of Arts and the School of Humanities (English,
European Languages, American Studies, Media
Studies, History).
The scheme consists of:
• Four modules from contributing subject areas (two
compulsory Modernism(s) modules and one or two optional
Modernism(s) modules; if one optional module is taken,
students may take their fourth module from any Master’s
schemes running in the School).
• Two taught and supervised Research Skills Training modules
• A dissertation on a Modernist subject or theme
Compulsory Modules
• Study and Research Skills in the Humanities
• Research Practice (in Modernism(s))
• The foundations and theorisation of Modernism and EITHER
• Modernist poetry and the visual arts OR
• Canonical Modernism

Optional Modules
• Modernist poetry and the visual arts
• Modernism and film
• Austrian Modernist fiction
• Drama and politics in German Expressionism
• Futurism, Dada and Surrealism
• Spanish Modernist Theatre
• Exile Writing: Pound, Bunting, Russell
• Henry James’ Later Fiction
MA in Professional Writing
A programme for graduates in any field intending to work in
areas requiring high-level skills in literacy, writing
competence and text analysis, or for professionals seeking to
improve their skills in research, writing and the critical
reception of texts, including reports, documents, press
releases, policies and speeches.

• Welsh Writing in English, including Dylan Thomas and
Raymond Williams
• Irish writing, including Yeats, Joyce and Irish poetry since
1900
• Border writing and the literature of the Cold War
• Modern and contemporary poetry, including J H Prynne
• Critical theory, especially cultural, feminist, psychoanalytic
and canon theory
• American literature, including the Harlem Renaissance and
Whitman
• Medieval literature, especially Arthurian narratives and the
medieval town
• Film and visual narrative
• Gender in literature and culture from the medieval period
to the twenty-first century
• Creative writing, especially fiction and poetry

Research
English specialists have supervised students working on
subjects varying from Samuel Daniel and emblem writing to
apocalypse in the lyrics of Bob Dylan, and from Surrealism
and Gothic modes in Welsh 1930s writing to representations
of women in Romantic oriental narratives. Staff research
interests are extremely varied, and include the following:
• Linguistics and sociolinguistics
• Poetry and drama in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries
• Romantic literature, especially Wollstonecraft, Romantic
orientalism, Wordsworth, Byron, Blake and Women’s
Writing
• The nineteenth-century novel, especially the Brontës and
‘Gothic’ writing
• The twentieth-century novel, especially D H Lawrence and
Angela Carter

Apart from AHRC awards, English currently offers thirteen
Swansea University Taught Master’s Studentships. The
University also offers full and fees-only Research
Studentships, while students have also regularly received
awards from educational trusts.

Entry Requirements
Normally an upper second-class or higher honours degree
in English, or a degree equivalent.

MA in Welsh Writing in English
• Four modules from English’s MA menu (including 3 from the
‘Welsh Writing in English’ list)
• Taught and supervised Research Skills Training
• Dissertation in Welsh Writing in English

Compulsory Modules
• Gender and Culture: An Introduction
• EITHER: Study and Research Skills in the Humanities OR:
Historical Methods and Approaches OR: Research and
Study Skills (Social Research)

www.swansea.ac.uk/english

• J H Prynne and Contemporary Poetry
• Film and Genre

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86

Environmental and Molecular Biosciences

(formerly Biological Sciences)

Biosciences occupy modern laboratories in two linked
buildings, with an adjoining greenhouse complex. There
is an extensive range of modern analytical equipment,
workshops, and specialised culture facilities for a wide
range of organisms. We also run an open-circulation marine
aquarium, an insectary, and a custom-designed 12.5m
coastal research vessel, the RV Noctiluca.

Taught Courses
The following twelve-month taught courses commence
in September each year:
MSc in Environmental Biology:
Conservation and Resource Management
This course emphasises the relationships between living
organisms and the terrestrial, freshwater and marine
environments and interactions that result from natural and
anthropogenic processes. Advanced training is offered in the
interpretation of local and global environmental issues, field
and theoretical aspects of biology and ecology, and in
analytical techniques. The course develops skills necessary
to work confidently in vocational areas such as conservation,
environmental impact assessment, environmental management,
monitoring and education, and fosters an objective, scientific
and realistic approach to environmental biological issues that
students may have to face in a professional capacity.
During Part I of the course, students take modules in Science
skills, Analytical skills, and Conservation Biology, followed by
modules in Ecosystems and Remote Sensing, including a field
trip abroad (Goa, India). Assessment is by a combination of
coursework and examinations held in January and May/June.

Part II consists of an extended full-time research project of
fifteen weeks duration (equivalent to 60 credits), written
dissertation, and oral presentation.
MSc in Aquaculture and the Environment
Whilst capture fisheries are in decline globally, aquaculture is
a rapidly expanding sector worldwide. Despite the promise
that aquaculture holds for increased food production and the
aquarium trade, there are recognised environmental and other
detrimental effects associated with some existing practices. In
particular, the environmental impacts can be significant. In
recognition of such issues, and the increasing challenges they
pose for the future of the industry, across the European Union
and elsewhere, technologies and strategies are being
developed to increase the sustainability of the industry.
This course prepares students to address in their work some
of the factors that contribute to environmentally non-sustainable
aspects of the industry. The course is designed for those
already employed in, or aiming to enter employment relating
to aquaculture research, as well as production, regulation and
developmental aspects of aquaculture. On completion of the
course, students should be able to understand the range of
aquaculture systems utilised in the UK and around the world,
identify specific areas for improvement in terms of their
environmental sustainability, and be able to initiate a
process of change.
The course has been designed with the needs of the future
industry in mind, and industry links are maintained throughout
the course through teaching and research activities.
During Part I of the course, students take modules in Science
skills, Analytical skills, and Conservation Biology, followed by
modules in Principles and Practices of Aquaculture, Advanced
Topics in Sustainable Aquaculture and term papers in
Aquaculture and the Environment. A field trip abroad (currently
in Tenerife) and placements at the Centre for Sustainable
Aquaculture Research (CSAR) and at the Freshwater Research
Unit (FRU) are an essential part of the course. Assessment is by
a combination of coursework and examinations held in January
and May/June. Part II consists of an extended full-time research
project of fifteen weeks duration (equivalent to 60 credits),
written dissertation, and oral presentation.

(formerly Biological Sciences)

Biosciences are involved in several major new research
initiatives. Firstly, it is hosting the Aquaculture Wales initiative.
This ÂŁ2.34 million programme is designed to develop
aquaculture within Wales. As a result, a ÂŁ2 million Centre for
Sustainable Aquaculture Research building, opened in June
2005, facilitates research on fish and shellfish using state-of-theart recirculation technology. Secondly, Biosciences, together
with Geography, are developing the multidisciplinary Institute
for Environmental Sustainability that will provide additional
research facilities of relevance to environmental research.

www.swansea.ac.uk/biosci

The diverse habitats available locally set Swansea apart for study and research. These habitats
are located on the nearby Gower Peninsula, in the Swansea Valley and further afield in the
Brecon Beacons.

Environmental and Molecular Biosciences

Biosciences undertake research of relevance to a wide range of fields of study from molecular
and cellular through to environmental.

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Environmental and Molecular Biosciences

Aquaculture Research
The Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Research and the
Freshwater Research Unit provide excellent research facilities
in a range of topics including:
• Fish and shellfish nutrition
• Aquaculture waste management
• Fish and shellfish diseases
• Development of recirculation technology
• Wetland restoration
• Fish ecology and behaviour
Biochemistry Research
Excellent facilities exist for a range of approaches including
biological mass spectrometry. The main areas of research include:
• Biological mass spectrometry
• Cyclic nucleotide research
• Cell, Molecular and Physiological Research

• Taxonomy and population ecology
• Surveying and monitoring coastal and marine ecosystem
patterns and processes.

Financial Support
Recent research has been supported by the following
organisations: Research Councils (Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment
Research Council); Government (DEFRA, DFID, Countryside
Council for Wales, Environment Agency); International bodies
(European Union); other bodies (Leverhulme Trust), and industrial
(aquaculture, chemical, pharmaceutical and water industries).

Entry Requirements
A first or upper second-class degree in a biological subject are
normally required.

Academic/research staff

32

The specific facilities include laboratories for raising fungal
biocontrol agents and monoclonal antibodies, for biochemical
studies, for studying animal behaviour and for
neurophysiological work. The main research areas include:

Postgraduates

45

•
•
•
•

MSc in Aquaculture and the Environment

Biosynthesis and functions of eicosanoids
Behaviour, conservation and animal welfare
Neuroscience
Entomology, in particular vector species and the control
of insect pests
• Invertebrate pathology and immunobiology
• Natural products development

Our physical geographers are internationally renowned for
their research on climatic change and environmental
processes. We host the ‘Climate and Land-Surface Systems
Interaction Centre’ (NERC CLASSIC), which is a UK
Research Council-funded Centre of Excellence in Earth
observation; direct one of the world’s most ambitious climatic
change programmes, the £8.4m EU-funded MILLENNIUM
project, which enlists researchers from 40 institutions to
reconstruct the European climate over the last 1,000 years;
and lead the GLIMPSE project, which aims to improve
predictions of the stability of the Greenland ice sheet.
Our human geographers are well known for their
theoretically informed, policy-engaged, and evidence-based
research on national and international migration, and for
their development and application of post-structuralist spatial
theory with particular reference to modern and postmodern
cities. We lead three of the University’s multidisciplinary
research centres: the Centre for Migration Policy Research,
the Centre for Urban Theory, and the National Centre for
Public Policy.

Taught Courses
We offer three taught Master’s programmes, each of which
is linked to one or more of our research groups.
MSc in Environmental Dynamics and Climatic Change
This interdisciplinary course offers training in the scientific
basis of past, present, and future changes in the Earth’s
climate and environment. The course places particular
emphasis on environmental and climatic change at both the
regional and global scale. The scientific basis and limitations
of models and data collection techniques are discussed in
light of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change report (2007). The MSc combines the international
research strengths of our staff in environmental and climate
dynamics (processes and mechanisms involved in stability
and change), marine and ecosystem biology, and
environmental management and sustainable development.
The breadth of the course means that your dissertation project
can range from applied science to sustainable development,
and we encourage the forging of links with industry.

Geography

All members of staff undertake multidisciplinary research
involving partners both within and beyond the University.

89

www.swansea.ac.uk/environment_society

Research

Geography

(formerly Biological Sciences)

90

Geography

91

MSc in Social Research
This multidisciplinary programme will equip you with the
essential skills needed to excel as a social science researcher.
With Research Training (RT) status from the Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC), it is ideally suited for those
who intend to embark on a research career in the public,
private or voluntary sectors or want to prepare themselves for
the challenge of MPhil or PhD research. The course develops
practical research skills, imparts methodological expertise
(both qualitative and quantitative), instils familiarity with
research ethics and governance, and promotes a thoughtful
engagement with theoretical concerns across the full spectrum
of social science disciplines. These generic skills are tailored
to the needs of human geography, and you have the
opportunity to put them into practice in a supervised
dissertation project of your choice and design.

Environmental dynamics group
We reconstruct past climates and environments using a range
of physical and chemical archives, especially proxy records
derived from ice cores, lake sediments, and tree rings. We
also investigate land-surface processes such as wildfire, soil
water repellency, and tropical hydrology. We routinely lead
field expeditions in Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and
Europe, and coordinate the Royal Society’s field stations in
Borneo. We are privileged to have our own stable-isotope
laboratories alongside specialist laboratories for
biogeochemistry, tephrochronology, and pollen analysis.

Research
We offer fully supervised and well-resourced MPhil and PhD
degree programmes that are firmly embedded within a
multidisciplinary community of academic staff and research
students. The calibre of staff and facilities at our disposal
means that we can support the most challenging of research
projects at the forefront of their respective fields.
As well as drawing upon the expertise of our academic and
research staff, you will build up your repertoire of skills and
improve your career prospects by taking advantage of a
comprehensive set of subject-specific and generic training
courses offered by the Department, the School, and the
University. We organise residential courses for our students,
and encourage them to participate in international
conferences and workshops. In 2007, our students attended
conferences as far afield as America, China, and Australia.
Over £5m has been invested in the Department to provide
refurbished offices and workspace for staff and students,
superb computing facilities, and state-of-the-art laboratories
and field equipment for our research groups.

• In Human Geography, our research groups are characterised
by socio-spatial theorisation of the contemporary urban
experience. They work closely with key institutions such as
UNESCO, the International Organisation for Migration, and
the UK and Welsh Assembly governments.
Each research group has a critical mass of researchers, and
each is engaged in setting and addressing internationally
significant research agendas. As a postgraduate research
student, you will belong to one or more of our groups.

Glaciology group
We study the dynamics of fast-flowing glaciers and ice
streams, especially the causes of flow instability. These
glaciers constitute one of the most rapidly changing parts of
the cryosphere, and many are experiencing rapid thinning,
especially around major ice sheet margins. We use a wide
variety of methods including fieldwork, remote sensing, and
modelling, and our facilities include a 3D digitalphotogrammetry workstation and state-of-the-art field
equipment. Our current field projects are based in Svalbard,
Antarctica, and the Alps, and we host the GLIPMSE group that
aims to advance our understanding of the future of the
Greenland ice sheet.
Global environmental modelling and Earth observation group
We use satellite data to study the land, atmosphere, and
oceans, and to improve modelling of climatic change. Our
research encompasses a wide range of applications ranging
from the local level (e.g. the detection of urban expansion) to
the global scale (e.g. the detection of El Niño effects in
tropical vegetation; and the response of hydrological and
carbon cycles to climatic change). We lead a NERC Centre
of Excellence in Earth Observation, the Climate and Land
Surface Systems Interaction Centre (CLASSIC), and work
closely with scientists at NASA, ESA, CEH, and the Hadley
Centre. We have excellent computing facilities that include
fifteen dual-processor workstations and a 20-node multi-

processor Beowulf cluster, and we have access to the
University’s £50 million IBM ‘Blue C’ supercomputer.
Migration, boundaries, and identities group
We advance the study of national and international migration,
especially in relation to ideas of nation, place, and the social
construction of identity (particularly gender and childhood).
We develop new theoretical frameworks for understanding the
implications of different types of boundaries - imagined, social,
and political - on the construction and experiences of
particular groups in society and the ways in which these
boundaries are contested. Our work is empirically rich,
theoretically informed, and policy relevant, and we are
especially well known for our work with refugees and asylum
seekers. We lead the University’s interdisciplinary research
Centre for Migration Policy Research.
Social theory and urban space group
We develop theoretically sophisticated, empirically bold,
and socially engaged understandings of space and
spatiality, with particular reference to modern and
postmodern cities. We have sought to transform the
conceptual terrain of Human Geography through a
spatialisation of post-structuralist theory. We lead the
University’s interdisciplinary research Centre for Urban
Theory, and work closely with media studies (visual
technologies and media theory) and health researchers
(general practice, oncology, psychiatry, and psychology).
For more specific postgraduate research opportunities and
research profiles of academic staff, please visit our website.
www.swansea.ac.uk/geography

The University also offers a number of fully funded and part
funded studentships each year and the GLIPMSE group offer
Leverhulme Trust-funded studentships in Greenland glaciology.

Entry Requirements
Normally a first-class or upper second-class honours degree in
an appropriate subject or an equivalent qualification. For PhD
research, a Master’s degree, preferably with research-training
(RT) recognition, would be advantageous.

Financial Support
Postgraduate studentships awarded by the Natural
Environmental Research Council (NERC), Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC), Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and Arts and Humanities
Research Council (AHRB) can be held in the Department.

• In Physical Geography, our research groups have a strong
quantitative-science emphasis, encompassing
computationally intensive numerical modelling, advanced
analytical laboratory techniques, worldwide field
campaigns, and satellite observation. They collaborate with
key agencies such as the British Antarctic Survey, NASA,
and the Hadley Centre.

www.swansea.ac.uk/environment_society

MSc in Migration and International Development
In recognition of the importance for development planning of
the inter-relationships between poverty, demographic and
environmental changes, and population movements (including
economic and environmental migration, resettlement and
displacement), the Centre for Development Studies – in
conjunction with the Department of Geography – has recently
launched a new postgraduate programme. The focus of the
programme is on: population dynamics, specifically through
analysis of the determinants of population change in the context
of current theoretical and methodological debates on fertility;
and of the demographic and wider social and economic
impact of HIV & AIDS; causes and patterns of forced migration,
political and policy responses to global refugee flows at the
international, supra-national and national levels, and the legal
and human rights framework for international refugee protection
and; the centrality of population issues to the achievement of
the Millennium Development Goals.

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Health Science

93

The School of Health Science, originally established in 1992, has over 250 academic and
support staff. The School's mission is to become a Centre of Excellence, conducting high quality
research, promoting clinical practice and delivering high quality programmes.
Forerunners in meeting health science demands, the School responds rapidly to changes in health care
and medical practice, and established clinical links with NHS Trusts enhance the learning experience.
Taught Courses
Students of taught MA and MSc programmes can benefit from
the different levels of awards available, to fit in with the
education and training they wish to receive. The School offers
Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and full
Master’s awards depending on which course of study you
choose to follow.
MA in Ethics of Health Care
The MA Ethics of Health Care provides an opportunity for close
examination of moral challenges in health care, including the
moral problems that arise at the beginning and end of life, and
moral theories.
The programme provides a structure for students to deal with
the moral difficulties that frequently arise in healthcare roles,
and is the longest running of its kind in the UK.
The programme can be studied full-time or part-time.
Modules studied
• Philosophy, Ethics and Health Care
• The Boundaries of Life
• Health, Disease and Abnormality
• Health Policy and Ethics
• Ethics and the Professional Health Carer
• Dissertation
Who should take this programme?
Most medical and nursing professions at some point touch
difficult moral ground and the programme could help ease the
strain of modern day moral dilemmas.
Others who may find it useful are health service managers,
osteopaths, pharmaceutical and medical charity workers.
Anyone with an interest in ethical healthcare issues is
welcome to apply.

Entry Requirements
Applicants should hold either an initial degree (usually of grade 2.2
or above) or a period of professional experience in a relevant field.

MA in Health Care Law and Ethics
This course provides an opportunity to examine the structure
and operation of the legal system in England and Wales, to
look critically at the real life impact of law on practice within
the healthcare system, and to do this in the context of an
understanding of the ethical problems that arise in health care.
This course is studied on a part-time basis.
Modules studied
• Philosophy, Ethics and Health Care
• The Boundaries of Life
• Introduction to Law and Health Care
• Patients, Professionals and the Law
• Mental Health, Mental Capacity and the Law
• Dissertation
Who should take this programme?
Healthcare professionals seeking to study legal issues relevant
to their work, and lawyers interested in healthcare provision,
regulation and delivery will find this programme informative
and useful.
Anyone interested in approaching some of the hardest human
decisions from an academic angle, including graduates from a
relevant discipline and those going on to research, are also
encouraged to apply.

MA in Medical Humanities
The only course of its kind in the UK, the MA in Medical
Humanities helps students gain an understanding of why
medicine and health care should not be reduced to scientific
principles, by exploring the contribution of humanities and
addressing the limitations of a purely scientific approach.

MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice – Multidisciplinary Option
There is a pressing need for a multi-professional clinically
orientated course for practitioners developing advanced
clinical roles in health care. This programme enables
practitioners to appraise their current practice, and to develop
into advanced practice roles.

This course is studied on a part-time basis.

Key areas covered are conceptualisation, problem solving,
reflective abilities, practical abilities and communication skills.
Students will develop their analytical and critical thinking, and
enhance their technical clinical activity and research skills.

Modules studied
• Introducing Medical Humanities
• History, Heritage and Health Care
• Social Sciences and Health Care
• Literature, The Arts and Health Care
• Philosophy, Religion and Health Care
• Law and Health Care
• Dissertation
Who should take this programme?
Doctors, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, health visitors,
alternative practitioners, health service managers, community
health service personnel and staff in the voluntary sector
could all benefit from this course. All applications from those
with a professional or personal interest in the humanities
applied to medicine will be considered.

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements

Applicants should hold either a relevant degree (usually of grade 2.2
or above) or a period of professional experience in a relevant field.

Applicants should hold either a relevant degree (usually of grade 2.2
or above) or a period of professional experience in a relevant field.

This course is studied on a part-time basis.
Modules studied
This programme has some compulsory and some optional
modules. In the first year students will take compulsory
modules only. In the second year students will choose two
optional modules, plus a choice of research module.
Compulsory modules
• Research, Information and Knowledge Development
• Clinical Supervision 1 (Orientation)
• Clinical Portfolio 1A and Clinical Portfolio 1B
• Clinical Decision Making
• A research module chosen from Action Research,
Qualitative Methods or Quantitative Methods
• Dissertation or Clinical Portfolio Dissertation

Health Science

www.swansea.ac.uk/health_science

With programmes available for healthcare professionals, including nurses, midwives, doctors,
managers and others, and opportunities for those who don’t currently work in the field of health,
you could boost your career with the School of Health Science postgraduate opportunities.

94

Health Science

This course is endorsed by the Chartered Society of
Physiotherapy. It is attended by a wide range of healthcare
professionals, including speech and language therapists,
physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, podiatrists,
paramedics, midwives, nurses and nurse practitioners.
Please note that this course is taught at our St David’s Park
campus in Carmarthen.

Entry Requirements
An appropriate degree (preferably 2.2 or above) or its equivalent
and evidence of recent academic study is required. Applicants
also need to be registered as first level healthcare professionals
with possession of a good professional portfolio.
Alternatively, applicants may have at least two years’ experience
as a first level healthcare professional, with possession of a good
professional portfolio.
Please note that because of the clinical nature of this course, you
will need to be working in clinical practice and the support of your
manager is essential.

MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice – Infection Control Option
This part-time postgraduate degree was developed in conjunction
with the NHS. It is designed to equip healthcare professionals
with the skills to lead innovative infection control practice.
Learning, developing and enhancing infection control research
and practice is key to this programme. Students will learn how
to approach the subject critically, evaluating and promoting
progressive practices and sound patient care in their workplace.
Graduates of this programme will be motivated to strive for the
highest standards of care for their patients and clients.
This course is studied on a part-time basis.
Modules studied
• Clinical Portfolio 1a
• Clinical Supervision

Who should take this programme?
This course is aimed at qualified healthcare professionals who
work with infection risks and communicable diseases, as well
as those who would like to widen their knowledge and
develop their practice in infection control and public health.
Please note that this course is taught at our St David’s Park
campus in Carmarthen.

Optional modules
Students can opt for any combination of approved modules
that total a minimum of 30 credits from the School of Health
Science module catalogue.

Who should take this programme?
This course is designed for experienced registered nurses. It
will develop enhanced assessment, diagnostic and disease
management skills, and the skills of independent prescribing.

Who should take this programme?
This course is designed for all those involved in chronic
condition management who want to extend their key skills or
develop their careers within the field.

Please note that this course is taught at our St David’s Park
campus in Carmarthen.

Entry Requirements
An appropriate degree or its equivalent (preferably 2.2 or above)
and evidence of recent academic study is required. Applicants
also need to be registered as first level healthcare professionals
with possession of a good professional portfolio.
Alternatively, applicants may have at least two years’ experience
as a first level healthcare professional, with possession of a good
professional portfolio.
Please note that because of the clinical nature of this course, you
will need to be working in clinical practice.

MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice – Nurse Practitioner Option
The expansion and development of nursing practice that has
led to increasing employment of nurse practitioners and
advanced clinical nurses is one of the ways in which the
Government’s plans for modernising the National Health
Service (NHS) and improving the quality of health care
and the health of the population is to be achieved.
Nurse Practitioners are increasingly being seen as an important
way to develop primary and acute care services that address
not only the needs of patients but also manpower and skill mix
workforce issues, and this has been reinforced by the
introduction of Personal Medical Services and NHS Walk-in
Centres where they are being widely utilised.
The programme is currently an accredited RCN Nurse
Practitioner award and meets this standard of Nurse Practitioner
competency and practice at both PgDip and MSc level. In
addition, the programme has been carefully mapped against
the prospective Advanced Nurse Practitioner competencies of
the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
This course is studied on a part-time basis.
Modules studied
Compulsory modules
• Clinical Supervision
• Clinical Assessment Skills
• Clinical Assessment Skills 2

Entry Requirements
Students may be required to undertake prerequiste studies that could
include the Foundations in Physiology module, the Pathology and
Therapeutics module, a Foundations in Health Assessment Skills
module, or others that the admission tutor may deem as suitable and
relevant prior to formal commencement of the programme.
This would be viewed as preclinical study and is required to provide
an adequate knowledge base in human physiology, pathology and
applied therapeutics and developing clinical diagnostics.
This prerequisite study will also provide a mechanism of ensuring that
students have adequate academic skills for Master’s level study and
could be utilised in the acquisition of a first level degree.

MSc in Chronic Condition Management
The National Service Framework for the management of long
term conditions indicates that 20% of all acute hospital
admissions and 350,000 people requiring daily care and
rehabilitation are all in need of chronic condition
management.
With such a large demand for treatment, the need for
education in this area is clear. People living with a chronic
condition require specialist care and rehabilitation from a
wide range of healthcare professionals, ranging from their
GPs to physiotherapists. To ensure the most efficient service
delivery and to optimise clinical efficacy, it is necessary for
these clinicians to have specialist training to enhance their
key clinical skills.
This programme can be studied on a full-time or part-time
basis.
Modules studied
Compulsory modules
• Anatomy, Physiology & Pathology
• Research, Information and Knowledge Development
• Clinical Assessment & Management
• Dissertation

Entry Requirements
Applicants should possess either a degree or a professional qualification
in a relevant field with clinical experience and responsibilities.

MSc in Community Health Studies: Specialist Practice Award:
Community Nursing in the Home (District Nursing);
Community Mental Health Nursing;
Community Children’s Nursing
Designed to prepare practitioners for working in a complex
and dynamic community setting, this programme will produce
community nurses with the knowledge, interpersonal skills and
managerial capabilities to excel in the healthcare service.
Community nurses taking this award will receive an NMC
Specialist Practice Award.
This programme can be studied on a full-time or part-time
basis.
Modules studied
Students will complete a core module, and then go on to
study the modules from their chosen pathway - Community
Nursing in the Home, Community Mental Health Nursing, or
Community Children’s Nursing. Students progressing to MSc
level in each pathway will complete a dissertation module.
Core module
• Evidence-Based Decision Making in Community Nursing
Community Nursing in the Home
• Context of Nursing in the Home
• Essential Skills for Nursing in the Home
• Developing Specialist Nursing in the Home

Health Science

Who should take this programme?
Healthcare professionals looking to move into leadership roles
within the healthcare sector, or who wish to act as a consultant
to other practitioners should apply to this programme, and also
those who want to make sure that they are providing the most
up to date and best patient focused therapy and care.

Who should take this programme?
Registered nurses who wish to enhance and develop their skills
in community nursing.

Entry Requirements
All prospective candidates must be registered nurses who will have
completed a minimum of one year in professional practice.
Candidates should have established pre-registration outcomes and
gained a deeper understanding of an area of practice.
Applicants for Community Mental Health Nursing must be
registered mental health nurses.
Applicants for Children’s Community Nursing should be registered
child nurses.
Applicants should possess a minimum of 120 credits at Level 1
(Certificate), plus 120 credits at Level 2 (Diploma) including
Research and Critical Appraisal at Level 2 or equivalent.
Students with an initial degree will follow a Postgraduate
Diploma route with the possibility of progressing to complete
a Master’s degree.

This programme can be studied on a full-time or part-time basis.

Optional Modules
In addition to the six compulsory modules, students will need a
further 30 credit points to complete Part |. They may opt for two
of our own optional modules, or another relevant module from
the University judged as appropriate by the programme leader.
• Foundations in Public Health & Primary Health
• Health Economics
• Quality and Management of Performance
• International Perspectives on Health Care Systems
Who should take this programme?
People working in healthcare management, and health and
social care, wishing to develop and update their practice and
those interested in entering the healthcare sector in a
management capacity, can all benefit from this programme.

This programme can be studied on a full-time or part-time basis.
Modules studied
• The Health Informatics Professional
• Communication Systems
• Data Quality and Secondary Uses
• Information Systems and Technologies
• Knowledge Management
• Health Technologies and Telecare
• Dissertation
Who should take this programme?
Recent graduates looking to work in a health informatics role,
healthcare professionals or those working in a health-related
service or industry would benefit from this programme.

Entry Requirements

Funding
Applicants who are accepted onto the Postgraduate Diploma
42-week programme will be funded by the Welsh Assembly
Government and will have both their fees and salary paid.
Please note that to continue studying to receive the full Master’s
Award and complete the dissertation module, students must be
self- or employer-funded.
MSc in Healthcare Management
Designed to meet the management development needs of
a modern healthcare system, this course is provided in a
research-based environment that allows healthcare managers
to develop and enhance their skills by teaching them to:
• Plan and deliver service improvements
• Work with others to achieve organisational goals
• Optimise resources used
• Manage and motivate change
• Communicate effectively and be accountable for
performance

Applicants should possess either a degree from a recognised
university or awarding body, or equivalent qualifications, or have
professional qualifications in a relevant field of work experience,
or have at least two years’ relevant work experience.

MSc in Health Informatics
Government policies, health circulars and European strategies
have all made explicit reference to the need for healthcare staff
with health informatics education and training to keep in line with
new developments and the changing nature of new technology.
This programme is designed for professionals who want to
increase their knowledge of and skills in health informatics, to
equip them for roles in the developing world of e-health.
One of a kind in Wales, the programme uses the latest
technologies and a strong focus on practical experience. Run
by the award-winning Health Informatics and e-Learning Team
in the School of Health Science, expertise in informatics, ICT,
and e-learning are complemented by guest lecturers from
Informing Healthcare, NHS Direct, the Welsh Assembly
Government and more.

Designed for a wide range of people including nurses,
midwives, medical staff, paramedics, practice and IT
managers, this programme keeps ahead in this rapidly
advancing field.
Entry Requirements
Applicants with two years of relevant employment are
welcomed, as well as recent graduates of a relevant discipline
with a degree of grade 2.2 or above, or an equivalent
recognised qualification.
You should have access to the Internet at home or your place
of work and a basic understanding of IT (including Internet use
and office software), although some training will be given
throughout the course.

Funding
Informing Healthcare (IHC) has bursaries available to help
support NHS Wales employees who wish to study
informatics. Many previous students on our MSc have
benefited from a bursary in the past. Please contact IHC
directly for more information (www.wales.nhs.uk/IHC).

MSc in Public Health and Health Promotion
Designed to provide an understanding of the theoretical
underpinnings of health promotion and public health, this
programme enables students to experience health promotion
in practice, and gain theoretical knowledge and apply it to
practice – facilitating both their personal and professional
development.
With an established working relationship between the
programme leader and the Welsh Assembly Government
and Wales Centre for Health, the programme develops
students’ skills to provide others with health information and
the support necessary to achieve change and to influence
health policy at all levels.
This programme is designed to meet the needs of health
promotion practitioners at Level 5 and above and the
developing public health agenda. The course is mapped
to the National Occupational Standards for the Practice
of Public Health and has been part of a 2007 project
piloting the mapping of the new Public Health Career
Framework competences.
This programme can be studied on a full-time or
part-time basis.
Modules studied
• Foundations in Health Promotion
• Foundations in Research
• Management & Leadership for Public Health Practice
• Health Promotion in Practice
• Research Development to Improve Health & Well-being
• Developing Programmes and Evaluation
• Partnership Working
• Partnership, Public Health & Epidemiology
• Dissertation

Health Science

This internationally recognised course was completely revised
in 2006 to ensure it continues to meet the requirements of
students, enhancing their employability, career and skills.

Past students include sport and fitness workers, teachers,
dental health workers, chiropodists, dieticians and
physiotherapists, those working in the voluntary sector,
the private sector and industry.

Entry Requirements
Applicants with two years of relevant employment with evidence of
educational/professional achievement are welcomed, as well as
recent graduates of a relevant discipline with a degree of grade
2.2 or above, or an equivalent recognised qualification.

Professionals working in agencies concerned with identifying and
developing public health interventions and collaborative
strategies of care, such as Local Health Boards and other primary
care organisations, Local Authorities, Social Services and
housing departments, NHS Trusts, the National Public Health
Service, voluntary organisations, housing associations and nongovernment offices, would all benefit from this programme.
Individuals who have a demonstrable interest in developing a
career in this field will also be considered.
Primary healthcare workers, health visitors, community nurses,
social workers, community development workers, voluntary
sector staff, public health professionals and housing organisation
staff could also enhance and develop their careers.

Entry Requirements
MSc in Public Health and Partnerships in Care
Focusing on public health and collaborative care, this
programme addresses the demands of current policies,
such as the need for effective leadership and management.
Approaches to planning integrated and collaborative care in
public health and communities are studied, with a focus on the
social integration of disadvantaged groups into the main
stream of community life and reducing inequalities in health
and social status.
The programme has been developed in line with National
Occupational Standards for Practice of Public Health
(Skills for Health, 2004) and each module addresses the
requirements of one or more of the ten National Occupational
Standards. Some of the modules make use of external
professional involvement so that there is integration of
theory and current practice.

Those with a degree (preferably 2.2 or above), or other
equivalent qualifications acceptable to the University, and
registered healthcare professionals, or those with two years’
experience in a position of responsibility in a health or social care
field relevant to the course, are eligible to apply.

MSc in Public Health and Specialist Community
Public Health Nursing
Developed in response to the new standards for Specialist
Community Public Health Nurses (NMC, 2004) for registration
as a practitioner in a distinct area of nursing practice, this
programme incorporates professional registration on Part ||| of
the Nursing and Midwifery Council nursing register as well as
the academic award.
Preparing students for working in complex and varied settings
including homes, schools and workplaces, students become
knowledgeable practitioners with excellent interpersonal and
managerial capabilities.

This programme can be studied on a full-time or part-time basis.
Modules studied
• Foundations in Public Health and Primary Care
• Foundations in Research
• Foundations in Social Care
• Management and Leadership for Public Health Practice
• Promoting Equality, Diversity and Ethical Practice
• Community Development in Social Care
• Partnership Working
• Partnership, Public Health and Epidemiology
• Dissertation

Identifying and fulfilling self-declared, recognised and
unrecognised health needs of individuals and social groups,
students discuss health inequalities and factors that contribute to
health and well-being in the context of people’s lives and learn
how different factors contribute to policies that affect health.
This programme has two pathways from which students may
choose – School Health Nursing and Health Visiting. Both
pathways can be studied full-time, and there is a part-time study
option available for School Health Nursing.

Modules studied
Core modules for both pathways
• Promoting Population Health & Well-being in Clinical
Practice
• Management & Leadership in SCPHN Practice
• Public Health & Primary Health Care Practice
• Principles of Research for Clinical Decision Making
School Health Nursing
• Public Health Skills for School Health Nurses when
Working with Populations
• Lifespan Development & Clinical Skills for the Public Health
Specialist Role of the School Health Nurse
• Partnership Working for Protecting Vulnerable Children &
Families
Health Visiting
• Partnership Working for Protecting Vulnerable People
in the Population
• Lifespan Development & Clinical Skills for the Public
Health Specialist Role of the Health Visitor
• Public Health Skills for Health Visitors when Working
with Communities
Who should take this programme?
Nurses or midwives on Part | or || of the NMC register
should take this programme. Those in this group should also
hold the appropriate academic achievements as outlined in
the entry requirements.

Entry Requirements
All applicants must be registered nurses or midwives (registrants
on Part | or || of the NMC professional register) who will
normally have a minimum of one year’s experience in
professional practice, or experience of sufficient length to have
consolidated pre-registration outcomes and to have gained a
deeper understanding of an area of practice.
Students entering with a relevant degree (at 2.2 or above) can
follow a Postgraduate Diploma route with the possibility of
progressing to complete a Master’s degree.

Research
The Institute for Health Research
With the creation of the Institute for Health Research (IHR) in
2004, research opportunities and experience in the School
of Health Science have never been better. Strong links with
healthcare services and research centres both nationally and
internationally allow us to enhance the learning experience
and stay at the forefront of our field.
Our links with our academic colleagues in places including
New Jersey, Minnesota, Adelaide, and Cape Town amongst
others, and our representation on the All Wales Medicine
Strategy Group to determine policies relating to medicine
management within Wales, show our determined, innovative
and experienced approach to healthcare research.
The Four Professorial Units within the IHR
• Nursing and Healthcare Practice
• Philosophy, History and Law of Health Care
• Health Services Research
• Family and Midwifery Studies
Breakthroughs
The IHR has made significant strides in research in the year
since its conception, with around 200 published papers,
winning national and international acclaim.
Funding has been secured from a number of prestigious
sources, breakthroughs have been incorporated into national
health guidelines and the number of students completing our
PhD programme is increasing all the time.
This success is due to the expertise of our staff team and the
thriving, supportive research culture that they build in the
Institute – allowing all students to develop their skills as expert
researchers regardless of their previous experience.

Enquiries
For more information on the IHR, please contact
+44 (0)1792 518539 or ifhr@swansea.ac.uk or
visit www.swansea.ac.uk/health_science/research

Funding
The Postgraduate Diploma, a 52-week programme,
is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, for gaining the
qualification to register to practise as a Specialist Community
Public Health Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The Dissertation module to gain the Master’s Award is
self- or employer-funded.

MPhil and PhD programmes
With an active community of over 70 students currently
working on part-time or full-time research degrees, excellent
facilities to support research students and the Institute for Health
Research’s strong commitment to interdisciplinary research,
students benefit from a high quality research environment.
The Programme Details
The School of Health Science has an inclusive and supportive
research environment for both staff and students. The research
seminar programme allows students to gain a greater
understanding of the wider field of research in the School

Health Science

Nurses, midwives and health visitors can improve their working
health promotion skills, relating theory to practice. The
programme allows for career development towards clinical
specialism or teaching.

Who should take this programme?
This programme is designed to meet the educational needs of
professionals who provide interdisciplinary care in community
settings, including those who work in the statutory and
voluntary sectors.

www.swansea.ac.uk/health_science

Who should take this programme?
The programme is suitable for a range of people with an
interest in public health and health promotion. It can lead to
career development for Health Promotion Officers, recent
graduates of sport, fitness, education or health, and those in
Social Services, project, youth and community work.

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100

Health Science

The IHR’s links with research partners in Wales, the UK and
internationally, provides a range of opportunities for our
students to engage in a global research community.

International Students
English Language Skills
Candidates whose first language is not English, and would
like to study at the School of Health Science are expected to
pass one of the following English Language tests:
• IELTS test – a minimum of grade 6.5
• TOEFL test score – a minimum of 570/230
The University provides full-time English Language courses all
year round for students who need to improve their English
before commencing studies.

Who should take this programme?
Many applicants take up these programmes with the hope of
pursuing research-focused or academic careers in the health
sciences, or for development and recognition of their skills in
their chosen professional career.
Current students span a variety of health and social care disciplines
including nursing, midwifery, health economics, biosciences,
health and social policy, social care practice, the voluntary and
charity sectors, academia and healthcare management.
Those applying for either the MPhil or PhD should have a
research topic in mind that complements the activities of the IHR.
Previous research students have been supported by grants
awarded from governments, charities, and the NHS.

Entry Requirements
Applicants to the MPhil should possess either an honours degree in
a subject related to the chosen specialty which is being applied
for (usually at least a 2.2), or an approved and relevant
postgraduate qualification.
Applicants to the PhD should possess a Master’s degree or a good
honours degree in a related subject to the chosen specialty which
is being applied for (usually at least 2.1).
Minimum candidature periods:
PhD – Full-time 3 years; Part-time 6 years
MPhil – Full-time 1 year; Part-time 2 years

Financial Support
Funding opportunities may be available through funded Institute
for Health Research projects, and some School of Health
Science taught masters are funded by the Welsh Assembly
Government. Students may also wish to apply for University
studentships, scholarships or bursaries. Previous research
students have been supported by grants awarded from
governments, charities, and the NHS.
Enquiries
School of Health Science Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1792 518531
Email: shsadmissions@swansea.ac.uk

History, within the School of Humanities, is a leading centre for the study of the subject. In
1999, the Times Higher Education Supplement listed Swansea as one of the top twenty UK
institutions in which to study History. The University Library has extensive holdings in
medieval and modern history. It possesses electronic resources such as Early English Books
Online and Eighteenth-Century Collections Online. Use can be made of the National
Library of Wales at Aberystwyth.

History

The Research Student Support Group provides a forum through
which students can participate in a peer support network to
share their ideas. Support is also available from the
Postgraduate Research Faculty and other University services,
including the excellent library and information facilities.

101

www.swansea.ac.uk/history

and start to form links with experienced colleagues in their own
field, whilst research methodology groups provide an
opportunity to refine their skills and gain advice from
experienced researchers from the IHR.

History

102

History

The University is also a centre for American Studies, Medieval
Studies and Russian Studies, and appropriate library
collections have been built up.
Computer and language courses and facilities are available.
The School of Humanities has invested heavily in a suite of
postgraduate facilities, including computer provision, which
History students are able to use.

MA in Modern Celtic Studies
This MA is intended for those who particularly want to study the
history, literature, culture, and politics of the Celtic countries,
and draws on expertise across the School of Humanities and
the School of Arts. Optional modules available include Sport
and Identity in Britain's Celtic Fringe, Celtic Borders, Celtic
Frontiers, and Empire and Enlightenment: Scottish Society and
the Making of Modern Britain.
MA in Modern History
Students wishing to specialise in the study of modern history
can select their optional modules from a range offered by our
eight historians of the modern world, including Globalizing the
Victorians and Stalin's Russia, Stalin's Russians. As with our
other MAs, students may also choose to develop language
skills appropriate to their field of study.

Taught Courses
The following MA schemes are available to both full-time and
part-time students. Part I typically involves two core modules
intended to develop the student's research skills
and historiographical understanding, three optional modules,
and supervised preparation for the dissertation in the form
of a 'research folder'. The dissertation, a piece of original
scholarly work on a topic chosen by the student of up to
20,000 words, is the culmination of the MA and forms
Part II of the degree.
MA in Early Modern History
Students seeking to specialise in early modern history may
choose from a range of modules offered by our nine early
modernists, including From Vesuvius to Snowdon: The
Evolution of Travel, Curiosity and Aesthetics and Science,
Magic and Religion in Early Modern Europe. Students may
also opt to develop their skills in an appropriate language.
MA in Maritime and Imperial History
In addition to a core module exploring Themes and Concepts
in Maritime and Imperial History, students pursuing this new
MA will undertake a group project. The range of optional
modules offered by our nine specialists includes The Maritime
Worlds of the East India Company, Swansea and the Sea,
and Globalizing the Victorians.
MA in Medieval Studies
A joint enterprise by the School of Arts and the School of
Humanities, the new MA in Medieval Studies will allow
students choosing to specialise in this period to combine the
study of medieval history, literature and language. Optional
modules in medieval history available to students on the
scheme include England's Elite: Power, Culture & Gender in
Late Medieval Britain and Good and Bad Government in Late
Medieval Italy. Students who do not proceed to Part II of the

MA in History
The MA in History is available to students who do not wish to
specialise in any particular period or field. Students may
choose their optional modules from those provided to students
of the other MA schemes.

Research
MPhil and PhD degrees are available for either part-time or
full-time study. Current research interests within the Department
include:
Medieval History
• Norman and Angevin England and Wales
• The Mediterranean world, especially the Crusades and the
Italian Renaissance
• Late medieval England and Wales, especially the gentry,
religious belief and practice, education, literacy and
readership, and urban history
• Medieval ‘frontier’ society in the Anglo-Welsh Borderlands
• Gender and the life cycle in late medieval Europe
• The history of late medieval Italian society, especially
lordships and art works
Early Modern History
• Most aspects of British history between 1500 and 1800,
especially religious, scientific, cultural and gender history
• The history of health, medicine and disability in early
modern Britain
• The Portuguese Empire
• The Reformation and Counter-Reformation
• Science, intellectual life, collecting and museums in early
modern Europe
• The social history of early modern sex and marriage
• Crime and witchcraft
• The Enlightenment, republicanism and international relations
in the eighteenth century

Modern History
• Most aspects of Welsh history, especially industrial society
• The cultural, intellectual and urban history of nineteenthcentury and twentieth-century Britain
• Modern International History
• The United States since 1750, in particular slavery, the
South and the Civil War
• The economic and imperial history of Britain in the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
• Emigration and urbanisation in the British Isles between
the eighteenth and twentieth centuries
• The cultural history of Victorian Britain, including theatre
and popular entertainment
• The political history of the UK since 1800
• Modern and contemporary Russian social history,
especially medicine and gender
• Austrian, German and Central European history,
especially in the fields of urban, labour and post-1945
history
• Modern Economic History
• Quantitative aspects of British economic growth from the
sixteenth to the twenty-first centuries
• Demographic history
• Anti-capitalist and socialist political economy
Historians play an important role in University research
centres such as the Callaghan Centre for the Study of
Conflict and the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern
Research. History has a strong publications record, all staff
are research-active, and many are prominent in UK learned
societies and advisory bodies.

Financial Support
Bursaries towards the cost of tuition fees for MA students are
offered by Swansea University and by History. Other sources
of funding include the Arts and Humanities Research Council,
the Wellcome Trust and Local Education Authorities (e.g. West
Glamorgan Further Education Trust Fund, Welsh Assembly
Government Learning Grants, Post-Compulsory Education
Awards, Thomas and Elizabeth Williams Scholarships).

International students
Overseas Research Studentships are offered by the
University for students from outside the European Union to
assist with tuition fees for postgraduate research.

Entry Requirements
For UK applicants: a first- or second-class (first division) degree
in History or a related subject. Equivalent qualifications are
acceptable from EU and overseas applicants.

The South Wales Miners’ Library, which is managed by the
University, houses important printed and audio-visual aids for
research into south Wales’ industrial history.

MA in Medieval Studies may graduate with a Postgraduate
Diploma in Medieval Studies. A Postgraduate Certificate in
Medieval Studies is available to students who complete one
semester of study.

www.swansea.ac.uk/history

There are collections of local, municipal, industrial and
political records in the University Library, the City and County
of Swansea Archives, the Royal Institution of South Wales,
and the record offices at Cardiff and Carmarthen. The
Department also has close links with the National Waterfront
Museum in Swansea with its major collection of exhibits in
Welsh maritime and industrial history.

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104

Human Sciences

105

Much of our research is interdisciplinary, and encompasses a
wide range of research clusters. These include:
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Applied criminal justice and criminology
Youth justice
Young people and social inclusion
Child welfare and childhood studies
Gerontology
Community care and welfare policy
Health, health needs and health policy
Policy-making and policy processes
Politics, citizenship and social rights
Social policy, service provision and service users
Social Work

We encourage all our students to take advantage of this
active research involvement to enhance their own scholarship
and learning.

Taught Courses
MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology
This Master’s degree is a one-year full-time (or two years, parttime) modular degree focused on the application of
knowledge to the operation of the criminal justice system.
The programme offers a wide range of modules, which allows
students to develop particular areas of interest, including two
compulsory modules: understanding crime, and responding to
crime; plus optional modules: crime, drugs and alcohol;
gender and crime; young offenders and youth justice; crimes
of the powerful; prisons – past, present and future; crime,
mental illness and dangerousness; criminal justice, policy and
practice (supervising offenders in the community); the criminal
justice process.
Students also complete a supervised dissertation on a relevant,
agreed topic of their own choosing.
MSc in Social Research
Staff in the Department of Applied Social Sciences contribute
to this course, which is organised within the School of the
Environment and Society. The course, which has been granted
research training status by the Economic and Social Research
Council, is a one-year full-time (or two years, part-time)

modular taught degree, providing advanced training in the
range of research methods used in the social sciences.
Common modules develop practical research skills,
methodological expertise, familiarity with examples of good
practice in contemporary research and knowledge of
theoretical issues relevant across the spectrum of social
science disciplines. Elective modules and a dissertation
provide for specialisation.
MSc in Ageing Studies
The MSc in Ageing Studies comprise of six modules (120
credits) and a dissertation (60 credits). Four compulsory
modules cover the context of population ageing; explore
theoretical perspectives on ageing and critically examine
policy and practice initiatives; deal with issues in relation to
health; and consider the types of research methods that can
be adopted in conducting ageing research. Optional modules
allow students to study particular topics in greater depth.
Each module provides the opportunity to examine cutting edge
debates and issues on ageing in a global context.

Research Opportunities
MPhil/PhD in Applied Social Sciences
MPhil and PhD degrees are available (full-time and part-time)
by supervised research in the broad areas of child welfare,
criminology and criminal justice, ageing studies and social
policy and social work. Both degrees are awarded by thesis
or dissertation only.

Financial Support
Home students are eligible to apply for Swansea University
studentships/fees-only bursaries.
Research projects may also provide job opportunities for
research students. Overseas students may apply for
Overseas Research Studentships: the competition runs from
January to April each year.
In addition, a limited number of international studentships are
available from the University. Commonwealth students can
apply for a Callaghan studentship.

All research students (unless exempted from some or all of the
modules) follow an ESRC-approved research training
programme composed of taught modules shared with the MSc
Social Research. PhD students are expected to take six
modules, whilst MPhil students take three modules. However,
MPhil students who upgrade to a PhD are expected to take
another three modules. There will also be opportunities to
attend occasional research seminars.
In addition, students undertaking PhD degrees in Criminology
or Social Work may be eligible to apply to the ESRC for
support.

Academic/Research Staff

P Raynor MA BPhil PhD CQSW
The School of Human Sciences was awarded a grade of
5A in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, indicating
that all staff members are active in research of national or
international standing.

Entry Requirements
MPhil/PhD: a good social science degree normally required.
Taught MA and MSc degrees: normally require a good first
degree. Candidates without a degree may be admitted on the
basis of relevant experience, and may be required to attend an
interview with the Admissions Tutor.

The School includes Psychology and the Sports and Exercise Science Research Centre and staff
are active in research across a broad range of interests. Four specialist centres of excellence have
been established – the Centre for Child Research, the Centre for Criminal Justice and Criminology,
the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Ageing, and the Centre for Social Work and Social
Carework Research - to promote research activities in these areas.

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Languages, Linguistics and Translation

107

Postgraduates have access to a computer-based language laboratory, a satellite TV and video
editing lab, an advanced Translation and Media computing lab and a more specialised
Translation Research facility housing the latest digitisation, corpus analysis and computer-assisted
translation tools. We have extensive library holdings and subscribe to many journals and
newspapers. We maintain a large collection of audio-visual materials, available for loan or
for viewing in our video room. All research students are provided with a networked PC and
workspace in one of our dedicated research student rooms.
We organise a biennial Colloquium at the University of Wales
Conference Centre at Gregynog, a selection of papers from
which is published in the international journal Romance
Studies, edited from Swansea. Postgraduates are encouraged
to offer papers at Gregynog and other conferences in the UK
and abroad, and support funding for travel and subsistence is
available. The International Colloquium in 2007 was devoted
to cultural and literary translation; and two forthcoming issues
of the journal will focus on related themes. A programme of
distinguished guest speakers and regular research seminars in
Swansea is also organised.

Taught Courses
Opportunities for bursaries exist on these courses. For
information on support funding, see the postgraduate pages of
the University’s website at: www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate
MA in Translation with Language Technology
Language pairs offered: French, German, Italian, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish and Welsh into English; English into Chinese
and Welsh (students normally study one or two language pairs).
Professional translators today need to be more computer
literate than ever before. Whether you plan to work in an
international organisation such as the European Union, a large
national or multinational company, or a translation bureau, or
alternatively to set up in business as a freelance translator
working from home, being an excellent specialist linguist is no
longer enough. Translators are increasingly expected to use
the powerful software tools (particularly terminology
management and translation memory systems) developed in
recent years to enhance the speed, efficiency and consistency
of the commercial translation process.
By combining advanced translation work in administrative and
technical domains with in-depth language technology training,
this vocational Master’s programme provides graduates with
the skills and experience to become immediately productive in

a modern professional environment, and puts them in a strong
position to compete for work in the expanding worldwide
language services industry.
Programme Highlights
Part I: (120 credits/60 ECTS, two semesters)
• Emphasis on journalistic, administrative and technical
translation
• Pre-sessional English course available to non-native speakers
• Solid grounding in the historical aspects and theoretical
principles of translation
• Advanced Language Technology training: professional
word-processing, Web research and concordancing,
Systran and web-based Machine Translation systems,
computerised terminology management using SDL Multiterm
and Star Termstar, translation memory systems including Atril
Déjà-Vu, SDL TRADOS, Star Transit and Wordfast; software
localisation using SDL Passolo and Alchemy Catalyst.
• Option to study another language at beginner or intermediate
level (includes French [intermediate only], German, Italian,
Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Welsh and Catalan)
• Wide range of other options in linguistics, language
technology, translation studies, terminology management
• Optional ‘Skills lab’ module (simulated translation company
with real world assignments)
Part II: (60 credits/30 ECTS)
• Choice of academic dissertation (ideal preparation for PhD
research) or two Extended Translations (simulated
professional projects using language technology tools)
Programme available part-time over two years to Home/EU
students. It is also possible to undertake Part | of the
programme and qualify for a Postgraduate Diploma in
Translation with Language Technology.

Postgraduate Certificate in Translation Technology
This programme, new in 2008/09, is designed to offer a
flexible cost-effective way for practising translators to update
and validate their skills in Computer-Assisted Translation.
Students take 60 credits (30 ECTS) of modules from the MA
in Translation with Language Technology (MATLT) over two
semesters, in either one year (full-time) or two years (parttime). The compulsory element consists of 40 credits (20
ECTS) of Language Technology (as above). Software
covered includes Déjà-Vu (as used by the National Assembly
and local government in Wales); assessment is by practical
group translation/localisation project and the opportunity is
offered to take SDL Trados Certification tests free of charge.
20 credits (10 ECTS) of options are also chosen from MATLT
or another appropriate MA (e.g. the Computer-Assisted

Language Learning module from the MA in TEFL). All tuition
takes place during working hours and fees are pro-rata to
the standard MA fee.

Enquiries
Professor Andrew Rothwell
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295967
Email: a.j.rothwell@swansea.ac.uk
MA in Literary Translation
Language pairs offered: English with Catalan, French,
German, Spanish or Welsh. This well-established programme
is designed to offer both an independent scheme of study for
advanced linguists and a practical and theoretical training for

• Literary Translation, Translation Theory (including
non-Western), History of Translation, Comparative
Translation Studies
• Corpus-based Translation Analysis: Using concordance
and translation memory software to compare literary or
non-literary translations into or from English
• Translation and the Lexicon: contrastive analysis of
vocabulary and word formation mechanisms in the mental
lexicon and the way they are used in translation
• Computer-based Lexicography and Terminography.
Principles and practice of constructing electronic dictionaries
and terminology databases from corpora, with implications
for Machine Translation, Computer-Assisted Translation, etc.
• Translation Processes: Psycholinguistics of translation,
translation workflows
• Comparative translation software analysis
Enquiries
Professor Andrew Rothwell
Department of Modern Languages
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295967
Email: a.j.rothwell@swansea.ac.uk

MPhil/PhD
The School is willing to consider applications for research
degrees in the very wide range of areas in which its staff are
expert. Suggestions for individual research projects at
departmental or inter-departmental level are welcomed. There
are flourishing research groups in Modern European Literatures
and Cultures, Modern European Ideologies, Conflict and
Memory, Translation, Applied Linguistics and Language
Technology, in which postgraduate students play a leading role.

Literatures and Cultures
The School of Arts houses a number of established and new
Research Centres and Groups with a literary and/or cultural
focus in Modern Languages, all of which invite MPhil and
PhD applications. (A summary of other areas in which
Modern Languages research supervision is offered can be
found below). Languages also contribute to the work of
Research Centres based elsewhere in the School, and
interdisciplinary proposals in these areas are also welcomed.

PhD Programme in Translation
The School of Arts has many translation specialists and
published translators on its staff and a lively community
of research postgraduates working on translation-related
projects in different languages. Please see:
www.swansea.ac.uk/arts

German
Contemporary German Literature: the Department of
German at Swansea achieved a 5A rating in the last two
national Research Assessment Exercises; we were also rated
‘Excellent’ in the last national Teaching Quality Assessment.
On the basis of these and other criteria, The Times ‘Good
University Guide’ has consistently placed us in the national
top ten for German. Facilities exist for supervision in any
period of German literature since the eighteenth century,
although the main research strength of the Department lies in
the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, in particular in
contemporary literature. The main focus for this area of
research activity is the Centre for Contemporary German
Literature, founded in 1993 and located within the
Department. A German-speaking writer and academic are
invited by the Centre to spend a period of some weeks in
Swansea each academic year. The University Library is of
very high quality, with particularly rich holdings in post-1945
literature of the German-speaking world.

The TRAM (Translation Research and Multilingualism)
research group invites distinguished external specialists to give
papers at its regular seminar series and research students offer
annual ‘work in progress’ presentations in a supportive
environment to fellow students and staff. Thorough training in
research techniques is provided and all students are given an
annual allowance for conference attendance, research travel,
etc., as well as their own up-to-date workstation facilities.
Staff are always happy to discuss research ideas with
potential applicants, by email, telephone or in person.
Applications to pursue full-time or part-time research towards a
PhD in any of the following areas and relating to any of the
languages taught in the School (including Catalan, Chinese,
English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian,
Spanish, Welsh) are particularly welcome:

Both the PhD and MPhil schemes involve attendance at
regular supervisions and the regular departmental research
seminar, at which papers are given by members of staff,
visiting writers and academics, and postgraduate research

students. Potential areas of supervision for PhD and MPhil
study include:
• The German-language Modernist novel, particularly
Broch, Kafka, Thomas Mann and Musil. German literature
and National Socialism
• The beginnings of post-war literature, particularly
Andersch, Richter and Koeppen
• Literature of the 1950s, literature and the Student
Movement, Grass, Walser. The Holocaust in post-1945
literature
• Contemporary women’s writing. Turkish-German writing.
Contemporary German-Jewish writing. Gender Studies
and German. German writing from Eastern and Central
Europe
Enquiries
Dr Brigid Haines
Department of Modern Languages
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295170
Email: b.haines@swansea.ac.uk
Comparative Literature
Comparative Literature is a well-established area of research
interest. One significant example is the collaboration
between the internationally recognised Centre for Research
into the English Literature and Language of Wales (CREW)
and other research programmes (including Welsh Literature,
American Literature and Scottish and Irish Studies) across the
School. These initiatives have attracted prestigious AHRC
funding for online scholarly editions and bibliographies, and
have underpinned important publishing ventures such as the
English Language HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Wales.
Staff involved in the work of CREW, and the wider field of
comparative literature, have attracted major scholarly
distinctions that include one Fellow of the British Academy
(FBA), and have organised such important scholarly events
as the triennial international Conference of the British
Comparative Literature Association. A cognate activity was
the major multi-institutional research programme on
Transnational Communities/Diasporic Cultures (of which the
Department of German was a coordinator) funded by the
ESRC as part of the Axial Writing project.
Enquiries
Professor M Wynn Thomas
Department of English
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295306
Email: m.w.thomas@swansea.ac.uk

Languages, Linguistics and Translation

Programme Highlights
• Work in either one or two languages, plus English
• Balance of theory and practical translation modules
• All students take modules in Translation Theory,
History of Translation and complete either a dissertation
or Extended Translations
• Optional modules are chosen from Critical Theory, Literature
and Culture

those wishing to pursue a career in literary translation. It is also
suitable for practising translators who do not yet have but wish
to gain formal qualifications. If you have a single or joint
honours degree in Modern Languages, if you are an EU
student who has studied English or Translation Studies, or if you
are simply keen to study further, this flexible programme will
give you a unique opportunity to develop your interests, and
will also qualify you to proceed to doctoral study in translation
or literary studies.

MEICAM (Modern European Ideologies, Conflict and
Memory) is a collaborative research group which draws
together research on the history and representation of politics
and conflict in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Current
areas of interest include memory in literature and film, and
censorship and repression under fascist regimes. The group
hosts a regular programme of visiting speakers, and hosted a
major international conference in 2007 on Constructions of
Conflict. MEICAM collaborates with the University’s Callaghan
Centre for the Study of Conflict, and is affiliated to the Group
for War and Culture Studies (GWACS), a national research
group which publishes the Journal of War and Culture Studies.
Enquiries
Professor Nicola Cooper
Tel: +44 (0)1792 513514
Email: n.cooper@swansea.ac.uk
Dr Jonathan Dunnage
Tel: +44 (0)1792 205678
Email: j.dunnage@swansea.ac.uk

A new MA programme in Latin American Studies will be
launched in September 2009.
Enquiries
Dr Lloyd Davies
Tel: +44 (0)1792 205678 ext 4842

GENCAS (Centre for Research into Gender and Culture)
Several members of Modern Languages staff are involved in
the activities of GENCAS (see main entry under English),
including teaching on the MA in Gender and Culture and
contributing to the regular seminar series.
Enquiries
Dr Sarah Gamble
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295926
Email: s.gamble@swansea.ac.uk

CLASS (Centre for Latin American Studies)
CLASS was formally constituted in 2007. The study of Latin
America constitutes a wide-ranging subject of investigation
replete with interdisciplinary research potential. The Centre will
provide a forum whose initial focus will be on the interrelated
themes of Gender, Space and Identity. The Centre will be
dedicated to advancing theoretically-informed understanding of
Latin American realities through the analysis of diverse cultural
formations, including visual media. A research seminar series
will be introduced in September 2008.

www.swansea.ac.uk/arts

CRISS (The Centre for Research into Iberian Stage and Screen)
CRISS is a newly developed research centre
co-directed
by Dr Rob Stone (Media and Communication Studies) and Dr
Elaine Canning (Hispanic Studies) and includes associate
members from the UK, Ireland and the US. CRISS' current
research strategy is based on a three-year project to run from
2007/10, which includes a co-written book by Stone and
Canning entitled Altared Images: The Subversion of Catholic
Iconography in Iberian Theatre and Film and an international
conference in Swansea in 2010 entitled ‘The Sacred and the
Profane: Religion and the Arts in Europe’.

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Languages, Linguistics and Translation

Welsh
• Middle Welsh Prose: Aspects of the style and structure of
traditional tales, questions relating to the background of
non-fictional prose; textual studies
• The Laws of Hywel Dda: Textual and comparative studies
• The Literature of the Valleys: Individual authors and
significant themes
• Welsh Drama: Particularly eighteenth-century interludes and
modern drama
• Literary criticism and modern Welsh literature
• Eisteddfod Culture
• Popular literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
• The literary renaissance of the eighteenth century

The School of Law provides high quality, professional teaching in a friendly and supportive
environment and offers its students first class modern facilities, and a dedicated Law library.
The School is research-led and recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency as providing
teaching excellence in Law.
Research in the School attains levels of international excellence and is at the cutting edge
of developments in Law.

Law postgraduate programmes require commitment to study
throughout one calendar year. Students are given the
opportunity to develop a number of important skills which
are not only essential to those wishing to become lawyers
but are valuable, transferable skills in themselves in other
employment contexts.
The School offers its postgraduate students dedicated
resources, which include IT facilities and teaching rooms.
Students are fully supported by the School’s dedicated Law
Librarian, with the Law Library holding an extensive selection
of legal materials and online services such as Lexis and
Westlaw. Students are encouraged to make full use of the
facilities offered by the Postgraduate Research Faculty and,
in particular, to take advantage of training sessions run by
the Faculty, such as legal research methods.

Taught Courses
The range of LLM degrees offered by the School of Law
gives students the advantage of choice and specialism.
Students are able to gain an in-depth knowledge in
International Maritime Law, International Commercial Law,
International Trade Law. Students wishing to combine any of
these disciplines can do so through our LLM in International
Commercial and Maritime Law. Following their studies at
Swansea, the majority of our graduates obtain prominent
positions of employment within the legal profession, shipping
industry, financial and banking sectors and academia.
The School also offers new taught master’s programmes,
focusing on the concept of globalisation and its impact on
law and various legal orders. The global economy is the
powerful driving force for the more general globalisation of
all sectors of law. The LLM in Law and Globalisation deals
with the emerging global economic and commercial law,

The School’s Department of Professional Legal Studies offers a
first class professional legal education, notably the Legal
Practice Course (LPC) for law graduates wishing to enter the
legal profession. Students undertaking the LPC are also offered
the opportunity to complete, within the same year, the unique
LLM in Legal Practice and Advanced Drafting, developed to
respond to the increasing need for high quality legal drafting,
where exciting career opportunities exist. The Graduate
Diploma in Law (GDL) is a conversion course for non-law
graduates considering a career in law. Successful completion
of the GDL leads on to the LPC and to completion of the
vocational stage of academic training before entry into the
legal profession as a trainee solicitor.
LLM in International Maritime Law
Students may choose four modules from:
• Admiralty Law
• Marine Insurance
• Charterparties and Carriage of Goods by Sea
• Marine Cargo Claims
• Law of the Sea - International and Regional Perspectives
• International Trade Law
• E-Commerce
• International Litigation and Arbitration
Outline descriptions of the modules taught are to be found in
the School’s postgraduate brochure. The list of modules
outlined above will be offered in any academic year subject
to student demand and school resources.
LLM in International Commercial Law
Students may choose four modules from:
• Transnational Asset Finance and Security Law
• International Economic Law
• European and International Intellectual Property Law
• Law, Globalisation and Commerce
• European Competition Law
• World Trade Law
• E-Commerce
• International Litigation and Arbitration
• Law and Practice in relation to International Banking
and Commercial Payments

LLM in International Trade Law
Students may choose four modules from:
• International Trade Law
• Law and Practice in relation to International Banking and
Commercial Payments
• International Economic Law
• World Trade Law
• Marine Insurance
• Charterparties and Carriage of Goods by Sea
• E-Commerce
• International Litigation and Arbitration
Outline descriptions of the modules taught are to be found in
the School’s postgraduate brochure. The list of modules
outlined above will be offered in any academic year subject
to student demand and school resources.
LLM in International Commercial and Maritime Law
Students may choose four modules from the three specialist
module lists (at least one Maritime and one Commercial
module must be selected).
LLM in Law and Globalisation
Students may choose four modules from:
• Law, Globalisation and Commerce
• World Trade Law
• Global Investment Regime
• Global Intellectual Property Law and Policy
• Global Protection of Natural Resources and the Environment
• Law of the Sea - International and Regional Perspectives
• Global Protection of Human Rights
• Global Energy Law and Policy
• Multilevel Criminal Justice in a Global Society
MA in Global Orders and Law
• Global Legal Orders: An Interdisciplinary Approach
(compulsory)

Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD)
The School is committed to legal scholarship and is researchled. It is home to the following research centres:
• Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law: promotes
research and teaching of the highest standards in the field
of International Shipping and Trade Law
• Centre for Commercial Law Studies: where the area of
activity is Commercial Law, with particular emphasis on
Intellectual Property, Asset Finance and International
Economic Law
• Centre for Environmental and Energy Law and Policy:
promotes excellence in research and teaching in
environmental and energy law and seeks to foster links in
its areas of expertise between academia and local and
national governments, the community, industry and the
professions
The research centres provide effective vehicles for the
promotion of research within their respective areas of
specialism. The School has particular strengths and can
offer supervision in the fields of:
• Shipping Law
• International Trade Law
• Commercial Law
• International Commercial Law
• Legal Theory
• Global Legal Order
• Criminal Law and Evidence
• International Criminal Law
• World Trade Law
• Human Rights Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• European Law
• Public and Administrative Law
• Family Law
• Ethics and Philosophy
• Environmental Law
• Private International Law
• Public International Law
• Discrimination Law
• Labour Law

Financial Support
Students may also choose three modules from:
• Law, Globalisation and Commerce
• World Trade Law
• Global Investment Regime
• Global Intellectual Property Law and Policy
• Global Protection of Natural Resources and the Environment
• Law of the Sea - International and Regional Perspectives
• Global Protection of Human Rights
• Global Energy Law and Policy
• Multilevel Criminal Justice in a Global Society

Swansea University Postgraduate Studentships are
advertised annually and are awarded on a competitive
basis. Suitable students may be appointed to a tutorship
and thereby receive payment for undertaking undergraduate
teaching. Other research support schemes are available.

Entry Requirements
LLM: A good initial degree in law or a cognate discipline
required, or equivalent professional qualification. Candidates
with relevant work experience are also encouraged.
MA: A good initial degree in law or a related discipline,
such as economics, politics, international relations and business
PhD: An LLM or master’s degree are usually required.

Our LLM and MA degrees are taught degree courses involving
twelve months of full-time study during which students study
four option subjects and submit research projects under
supervision. The options are studied between October and
June, and the students complete their research projects
between June and September.

Outline descriptions of the modules taught are to be found in
the School’s postgraduate brochure. The list of modules
outlined above will be offered in any academic year subject
to student demand and school resources.

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www.swansea.ac.uk/law

global protection of the environment, and aspects of the
global protection of the human person, including international
criminal law. The MA in Global Orders and Law focuses on
the interdisciplinary study of globalisation and the emerging
global legal order. The MA programme is open to both law
graduates and graduates of other disciplines such as
economics, politics and international relations.

Law

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Law: Department of Professional Legal Studies

Assessment is by means of a variety of methods, ranging from
multiple-choice and unseen examinations to coursework and
mini-dissertations. Successful completion of the course, which
is recognised by both professional legal bodies, enables
students to progress to the vocational stage of training for
both solicitors and barristers (see below for further details of
our LPC for solicitor training).
Further information on the GDL can be found at:
www.swansea.ac.uk/law

Entry Requirements
A degree in any non-law discipline (normally at 2.2 or above) is
usually required. However, candidates with alternative, relevant
qualifications or experience are also encouraged to apply.
Prospective students who hold a degree from a non-UK or
Republic of Ireland institution will normally be required to obtain a
Certificate of Academic Standing from either the Solicitors
Regulation Authority (www.sra.org.uk) or The General Council of
the Bar (www.barcouncil.org.uk). Applications must be made
through the Central Applications Board (CAB) and can be made
online at www.lawcabs.ac.uk.

In the first teaching period (Stage 1) the course covers
the following:
Compulsory subjects
• Business Law and Practice
• Property Law and Practice
• Criminal and Civil Litigation
• Probate and Administration of Estates
Pervasive areas
• Professional Conduct
• Accounts and Financial Services
Skills
• Practical Legal Research
• Interviewing and Advising clients
• Writing and Drafting documents
• Advocacy in court
In the second teaching period (Stage 2), students will elect to
study a choice of three of the following, usually determined by
the type of legal environment in which a student wishes to
practise. (Electives are subject to numbers, availability and are
reviewed annually):
• Advanced Commercial Law
• Business Leases
• Employment Law and Practice
• Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence
• Housing Law
• Immigration and Asylum Law
• Advanced Criminal Practice (Advanced Criminal Advocacy
available in Welsh)
• Family Law and Practice
• Competition Law in Practice
• Commercial Property and Secured Lending

Assessment is by way of open and closed book
examinations. Skills and Pervasives are assessed simply as
competent/not yet competent as they are done.
Stage 2 may be taken immediately after Stage 1, which is
mandatory until September 2009, but for students enrolling
for the academic year 2009/2010 and after, Stage 2 may
(subject to validation) be taken at any time within a five-year
period of commencing Stage 1. This means that Stage 2 at
Swansea could be taken whilst in employment and by a
student who has completed Stage 1 of the LPC at another
institution. All institutions providing the LPC must be validated
to deliver the LPC to allow this flexibility in respect of Stage
2 by the academic year 2010/2011 at the latest.

Entry Requirements
Applicants must usually possess a qualifying lower second-class
honours degree in law from a UK or recognised overseas
university or a Graduate Diploma in Law (CPE) or a similar
qualification such as FILEX. Applications must be made through
the Central Applications Board online at: www.lawcabs.ac.uk
To study the LPC, a student must be a student member of the Law
Society and have a Certificate of Academic Standing.
Applicants should apply to The Law Society to become a student
member and to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for a Certificate
of Academic Standing before they commence the LPC.

LLM in Legal Practice and Advanced Drafting
This is a unique course combining the LPC qualification with
the opportunity of completing, within the same calendar year
of academic study, further research into drafting techniques –
essential skills for those intending to enter the legal profession
at the highest level. The course is taught by senior
practitioners skilled in legislative process and drafting.
The course is divided into two main parts. The first element is
the LPC. On successful completion of the LPC, this is
followed by a dissertation in advanced drafting. There will
be a short course introducing students to the research
methodology for the dissertation.
This is the first course of its kind with the emphasis being
placed upon developing and demonstrating skills of drafting
highly complex instructions. Such skills are likely to be highly
marketable in both the public and private sectors.

Entry Requirements
Applicants must usually possess a qualifying upper second-class
honours degree in law from a UK or recognised overseas
university, or a Graduate Diploma in Law (CPE) (with
commendation) or a similar qualification such as FILEX.

Students encounter a broad and balanced range of teaching
methods, first class, modern teaching facilities and high quality
teaching in a supportive and friendly environment. Students
are also afforded the opportunity to gain “hands-on”
experience of interviewing and advising clients by
participating in the School’s Pro Bono Law Clinic, a free legal
advice service for students, run by students under the
supervision of qualified local solicitors.

Legal Practice Course (LPC) Postgraduate Diploma in Law
The LPC at Swansea is a high quality professional course
designed to prepare students for practise as a trainee solicitor
in England and Wales. The course runs full-time for 36 weeks.
Students are offered first class facilities, which include an
interactive lecture theatre, advocacy suite and a dedicated
practitioner resource room with full network access to extensive
electronic legal resources. Students on the Swansea LPC are
offered support in finding work placements and are
encouraged to participate in the School’s Pro Bono Law
Clinic, supervised by external legal practitioners.
The course is divided into two stages, during which time
students are supported by a dedicated team of professional
practitioner tutors. Teaching is by way of large group
introductory and interactive sessions and small group
sessions with the emphasis on transactional work.

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www.swansea.ac.uk/law

Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)
The GDL (also known as the Common Professional Examination
or CPE) is a 36-week, full-time conversion course for non-law
graduates considering a career in law. The course is designed
to provide students with sound knowledge in the fundamental
areas of law (i.e. the Foundations of Legal Knowledge), plus
one additional area of law. The course, which begins during the
first week of September, commences with an introduction to the
English Legal System, together with instruction on the acquisition
of Legal Skills. The course then moves on to consider the Law of
the European Union, whilst the foundation subjects of Contract,
Tort, Public, Equity & Trusts, Land Law and Criminal Law are
taught over two teaching blocks. An additional legal subject is
studied by means of a supervised research project.

Law: Department of professional legal studies

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Mathematics

Law: Department of professional legal studies

There are good IT facilities for postgraduate research students,
with a small lab providing drop-in facilities for MSc students.
TeX and Mathematica are available on all desktop computers.
Schools and Workshops for Postgraduates, given by worldclass mathematicians, are offered on a regular basis at
Swansea. Throughout the year, there are regular seminars
and colloquia given by staff and visitors to the Department.
We benefit from considerable EPSRC support for extended
research visits by distinguished mathematicians from abroad.

Taught Course
MSc in Mathematics and Computing for Finance
In the past decade, the job market for mathematicians has
undergone something of a revolution. Mathematicians have
always been in demand, as teachers, accountants, actuaries,
scientists and engineers.
However, there are now highly lucrative jobs for
mathematicians in the financial markets – the City, Wall Street,
Frankfurt and Tokyo. The reason for this revolution was the
award in 1997 of the Nobel Prize for Economics to Scholes
for his work in obtaining the Black-Scholes formula. This
award recognises the primacy of advanced probability theory
in pricing financial derivative products.
The MSc course in Mathematics and Computing for Finance
has been designed to meet the growing demand for specifically
trained academics to work in the world’s financial markets.
The mathematics part of the course covers such topics as
stochastic calculus based on Brownian motion, Lévy
processes, more general jump processes, the advanced
Black-Scholes theory and parabolic partial differential
equations. The computing training aims to give students
expertise in advanced IT skills such as Java programming,
Mathematica and Internet systems. Students will be required
to undertake a project on mathematics or computing and its
applications in the above areas, so developing their
communication and presentational skills.

Our degree schemes are supported by our research links.
Mathematics and Computer Science are grade 5
departments. We cooperate with other leading centres in
the theory of mathematics for finance, for example, Imperial
College London, and MaPhySto in Denmark, and we have
very good contacts with world experts in the field.

Research
MRes programme
The Department offers a one-year MRes degree in ‘Stochastic
Processes and Applications’. You will have a personal
supervisor from the start who will also be the supervisor for
your research project which counts as 110 credits. Officially,
you will start with the project after successfully completing a
first taught part of 70 credits of lectures. Most of the taught
modules are held jointly with the MSc students. However, we
treat all MRes students as PhD students when it counts to office
space etc. Research topics will be related to areas mentioned
in the PhD programme under the headings: ‘Stochastic
Analysis’, ‘Diffusions, Markov Processes and Martingales’ or
‘Lévy-type Processes and Pseudo-Differential Operators’.
Typically, we require a first class honours degree for being
admitted as an MRes student..
PhD programme
In the beginning, whilst working for your PhD, you will
normally have an intensive tutorial programme with your
supervisor and, if appropriate, you will follow prescribed
courses during the first year of the programme. The reason for
this is that a wide background is required for success in
research. With a satisfactory performance in the first year, you
can continue to work towards a PhD. Our main research
areas are as follows:
Stochastic Analysis: The research interests are quantum
physics; functional integrals; stochastic differential equations
and applications; Brownian motion; statistical mechanics;
stochastic processes; large deviations and renormalisation
group theory; partial differential equations and applications;
mathematics of finance.
Diffusions, Markov Processes and Martingales: Stochastic
processes and applications, including applications to WienerHopf theory; quantum probability and quantum computing.

Entry Requirements
Candidates should normally have a good honours degree in
Mathematics. For the MSc, a good honours degree in
Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Economics or
equivalent is required.

The Department of Mathematics offers postgraduate opportunities in pure and applied
mathematics. There is a wide spectrum of research concentrated in the three research groups
‘Algebraic Structures’, ‘Analysis of Partial Differential Equations’ and ‘Probability Theory’.
Mathematics at Swansea was rated 5 in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise and the
Department has expanded considerably, i.e. doubled its research active staff.
The University has one of the finest mathematics libraries in the
UK, housing an extensive collection of books and periodicals.
The Department has a reading room that contains an
impressive collection of research books and recent preprints,
which are available to staff and students of the Department.

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120

Media and Communication Studies

121

The Department of Media and Communication Studies at
Swansea University was established in June 2001 and is part
of the School of Arts. It brings together the teaching of media,
film, journalism and communication, which has been
established at Swansea for several years in subject areas such
as English, Welsh, European Languages, Applied Language
Studies, Politics, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology,
International Development and Computer Science.
The Department is distinctively interdisciplinary and
international in its outlook and draws its students from a range
of countries all over Europe and beyond. The School of Arts
has an international reputation for research excellence with
several ‘5-rated’ departments in the 2001 Research
Assessment Exercise. The Department is committed to
research-led teaching and cross-disciplinary research.

Taught Courses
MA in Comparative Journalism
The MA in Comparative Journalism provides an international
and cross-cultural approach to journalism in the twenty-first
century. It is aimed at practising, mid-career journalists as well
as those interested in developing their knowledge and
understanding of the role of journalism in society. The course
combines the teaching of practical skills and techniques of
journalistic production with the exploration of practice from a
range of theoretical and analytical perspectives.
MA in Digital Media
This offers an innovative interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
approach to contemporary technology and new media,
drawing upon expertise in Media and Communication
Studies. The MA examines some of the key issues confronting
twenty-first century global societies through a dynamic
programme that combines theoretical and applied
perspectives, and is taught by a team of leading academics
in the field. The department has considerable research and
teaching interest in new media, technology, and media theory.
Students will be encouraged to apply media theory, political
and social theory and research tools in analysing and
understanding digital media, as well as teaching key
historical, policy and practice dimensions of new media.
The programme explores key concepts and ideas in media
as well as focusing on research methodologies for those
undertaking research on digital media and technology. The
dissertation allows students to design a research project of
their own which draws on issues and themes developed
throughout the year.

MA in Screening Europe
The MA in Screening Europe builds on the research expertise
in European film and television across the Department of
Media and Communication Studies and the School of Arts.
The programme offers a wide-ranging and innovative
approach to the subject. Instead of the traditional approach of
exploring European screen history and theory nation by nation
we adopt a thematic examination, allowing for a comparative
analysis of European film and television by focusing instead on
a variety of key topics such as: Celtic Screens, Screening
Totalitarianism, The European Metropolis, Film Adaptation, The
Gendered Screen and Cinematic Dialogues with the World.
In addition, you will have the chance to take practical
modules in Screenwriting, and Interviewing and Reviewing,
which reflects our belief in the benefits of combining theory
and practice. By virtue of its interdisciplinary emphasis, the
MA should appeal to students from subject backgrounds such
as Film and Media, Modern Languages and Creative Arts,
from the UK and overseas.

Research
The Department has a dynamic research agenda and
provides opportunities for full-time and part-time training
leading to the degrees of MPhil and PhD. Supervision is
available in English and Welsh. For research and supervision
expertise please see:
http://www.swansea.ac.uk/mediastudies. The Economic
and Social Research Council (ESRC) currently funds
collaborative research in the Department into perceptions of
security and threat in the post-September 11 era, as part of
their 'New Securities Challenges Programme'. Lecturers are
directors of the European Cinema Research Forum and the
journal Studies in European Cinemas published by Intellect.
MPhil and PhD supervision is available across a wide range
of research topics in media and communication studies
organised into two research groupings: (1) European film and
identity; (2) Media history, theory and technology; and also
shared research clusters of Journalism Theory, Practice and
Criticism and Media and Identity in Small Nations, with
particular reference to Wales.
European Film and Identity
European Film and Identity brings together substantial expertise
in the history, theory and reception of European cinema and is
engaged in a variety of provocative analyses of films, filmmakers, movements and film-watching communities and
nations in relation to literature, new media, politics and sociopolitical and geo-political contexts. Researchers are closely

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European cinema history, theory and criticism
Spanish, Basque and Cuban cinema
German and Eastern European cinema
French cinema, particularly the French New Wave
Documentary
Media, nation and identity
American cinema
The media in Wales
Welsh, Celtic and British cinema
Welsh-language film, radio, television and new media
British and American animation
Silent cinema history

Media History, Theory and Technology
Media History, Theory and Technology combine research at
the nexus between media history, theory and technological
change, addressing key issues in the emerging global digital
world. The group seeks to develop a critical understanding
of networked digital media and online social practices and
their social, economic and political dynamics in order to
inform academic research, wider policy issues and public
debates. The relationships between media technology,
cultural form and the shift from 'atoms to bits' are addressed
through a range of innovative methodological approaches
together with a focus on placing these developments within
a historical and social context.
• Media History: including visual media and visual culture;
print and broadcast media; science fiction and
technology; music and popular culture; journalism; the
deep history of media; media archaeology.
• Theory: including postmodern theory; theories of the
information society, network society, post-fordism; global
communication; media and the public sphere; political
theory and the media; Jean Baudrillard; moral panics and
the media; social and political aspects of media;
methodologies for researching media.
• Technology: including new media; digital media;
philosophy of technology; intellectual property rights (IPRs);
theories of technology; history of technology; software
studies; auditory technology and sound; digital
democracy; social networking; computer code;
remediation.

Shared Research Clusters
Journalism Theory, Practice and Criticism
Research associated with the Erasmus-Mundus scheme
centres upon technology, war and global journalism, and
incorporates work on moral panics and journalism theory,
history and practice.
Media and Identity in Small Nations, with particular
reference to Wales
Research into Welsh media studies has focused on the
output, policy and history of the press, cinema, television
and new media in both languages of the country, as well
as developing comparative research on Basque media.
The Department seeks to encourage research that brings
together industry and academic concerns and examines
theory and practice in a supportive, culturally aware and
collaborative environment.

Entry Requirements
Good honours degree in relevant subject or an equivalent
overseas qualification. Applicants with at least three to five
years of work experience in the field of journalism will be
eligible for the MA in Comparative Journalism.

associated with the European Cinema Research Forum and
the Studies in European Cinema journal from Intellect. This
group features specific research strengths in French,
German, Polish, Eastern European, Basque, English,
Hispanic and Welsh cinema.

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Medicine

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Besides international and national research links, the School
has key collaborations with Swansea NHS Trust, the College
of Medicine at Cardiff University and with diverse Schools on
the University campus. It is thus able to offer outstanding
postgraduate opportunities in medical training, on a fast-track
graduate entry programme, and in scientific training
encompassing the experimental and health sciences.
The School has an interdisciplinary approach to clinical,
health and experimental research, which is also at the heart of
its six-storey state-of-the-art Institute of Life Science. In an effort
to develop radical research solutions to old medical problems,
its research enterprise is driven by 24 internationally
recognised professors, supported by 191 research and
teaching staff, academics and clinicians.
The School has recently expanded with the inclusion of the
Institute of Mass Spectrometry and staff involved in delivery of
the Swansea Genetics degree courses. The School's project
portfolio now encompasses medical research ranging from the
atomic level to the population level.

Taught Courses
MSc in Trauma Surgery
Applications are invited from those pursuing a career in
Trauma & Orthopaedic, Burns & Plastic, or Maxillo-facial
surgery specialties.
Morriston Hospital is one of only six centres in the United
Kingdom housing all surgical specialities required to provide
comprehensive care for trauma patients, and hence is the
natural home for this unique MSc in Trauma Surgery. The
shortening of medical training is placing greater emphasis
upon postgraduate education. A Master’s degree embracing
the principle surgical disciplines involved in UK trauma care
aims to set new standards in this field and lead into high
quality research.
The scheme is offered on a part-time basis only and students
will normally take eighteen months to complete Part I and a
further twelve months to complete Part II. This is a modular
Master’s scheme, consisting of Part I (totalling 120 credits) and
Part II (60 credits). Completion of Part I with 120 credits will
result in the award of Higher Education Postgraduate Diploma
in Trauma Surgery for students who wish to exit at this point.

The education sessions will be delivered at the School of
Medicine, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, on a block basis.
Trauma surgery is a practical discipline, and much of the
educational sessions will be given to moulage scenarios and
surgical skills simulations. These methods will be familiar to
candidates, but the MSc course will weave these experiences
together into moulage skills practicals. The experience gained in
these simulations will cement the factual knowledge acquired,
with its clinical application. Assessment in the clinical modules
will be built around the development and demonstration of
strategic thinking, with written assessment of core knowledge
and its application in unseen written papers (USWP) and
moulage skills practical examinations (MSPE). Essays and
portfolio preparation will supplement these core assessments.

Entry Requirements
Candidates for the course must have obtained, or will shortly
obtain, Part ||| MRCS or equivalent (for Maxillo-facial surgery
candidates), and must be able to demonstrate a track record
clearly indicating the intention to pursue a career in one of the
above. Applications will include a structured CV in order to assess
the clinical experience, career pathway and research activities.
Two references from consultants in the relevant field of interest will
be used to confirm clinical experience, career pathway as well
as academic ability.
Closing date for completed applications and structured CVs is the
end of March with interviews scheduled for April.

Research Degrees
The School offers postgraduate degrees of Masters of
Philosophy (MPhil), Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Doctor of
Philosophy (PhD) through supervised research within individual
research groups. The research activity of the School will be

focused through the Institute of Life Science, an exciting
development in interdisciplinary collaboration in the fields of
community-based medicine, medical, engineering,
computing, physics, chemistry and bioscience with state-ofthe-art laboratories and equipment. The School welcomes
applications from those interested in any area of the School’s
research. Candidates will be asked to nominate their
preferred research area from a list of potential topics for
research students, which may be found at:
www.medicine.swansea.ac.uk/postgradresearch.html.
Students complete a programme of research, with regular
discussion with and advice from an appointed supervisor.
Excellent laboratory facilities are equipped to support
genomics, proteomics, bio-imaging and microbiology, with
access to equipment such as automated sequencing, confocal
microscopy, high-throughput genomic analysis, mass
spectrometry. A suite of seminar rooms and meeting rooms are
provided within the School, with further laboratory and general
facilities becoming available shortly. The School has its own
supercomputer, the IBM Blue C, the fastest computer dedicated
to life science research. The School also has its own dedicated
student computer suite located in the Grove Building on the
Swansea campus, with access to office management systems,
email, library catalogue, and the Internet. All students also have
access to all student facilities within the University, including the
library (which has comprehensive IT facilities), sports,
counselling and social activities.
Weekly School research seminars, frequently with talks from
eminent invited speakers, provide an opportunity for
discussion of current research projects. The School also
holds an annual postgraduate event where students present
their work. This vibrant research environment comprises three
areas of expertise: Biomedical research (BIMR), Centre for

Health Improvement Research and Evaluation (CHIRAL) and
the Institute of Mass Spectrometry (IMS).
Biomedical Research
The biomedical research group includes a variety of
experimental disciplines undertaking research into diverse
areas of interest but with many shared technology platforms
for modern molecular and systems biology. Besides working
to international levels within disciplines, an interdisciplinary
awareness is part of the general approach, both within
Swansea, the UK and through links overseas. The Institute of
Mass Spectrometry, our Blue C supercomputer and the
Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre all provide
important support for multidisciplinary research. Biomedical
Research in the School of Medicine is supported by the
National Institutes of Health (USA), EU Framework Six,
research councils, charities, industry and government.
Asthma and Allergy: The group’s key achievements recently
have been the demonstration of how genetic variants of Th-2
immune signalling (particularly through the ligand IL-13 and
the transduction molecule STAT 6) impact on the production
of reagenic antibody IgE, the promotion of asthma, and
protection from parasitic worm infection. Current main efforts
are focused on: Thorough definition of how genetic
interactions between multiple variants in Th-2 immune
signalling interact to predict the phenotypes of allergy,
asthma and low parasitic worm burdens; Deriving a
functional and structural understanding of how these variants
change function; Advancing molecular approaches to the
inhibition of Th-2 immune signalling as a prospective
foundation for novel therapies for asthma and allergy;
Exploration of the role of mast cell chymase in IgE mediated
inflammation of the skin.

Medicine

www.swansea.ac.uk/medicine

Established in 2001, the School of Medicine is fast becoming a Centre of Excellence in worldclass research and medical education. The School’s principal activities are:
• Higher degree programmes including PhD, MD, and Taught Master’s degrees
• Biomedical and healthcare research with a strong interdisciplinary ethos
• Four-year Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine

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Medicine

Cell Signalling: The research group, led by Dr Venkateswarlu
Kanamarlapudi, uses a multidisciplinary approach to
understand PI 3-kinase and ARF small GTPase signalling in
health and disease. Our long-term aim is to define the roles
played by cytohesins and centaurins in PI 3-kinase mediated
regulation of ARF signalling. For this purpose, we have been
using various molecular biological (cloning and site-directed
mutagenesis), biochemical (protein purification and in vitro/in
vivo GAP/GEF assays), pharmacological (protein-lipid
binding assays), yeast genetical (functional complementation
and two-hybrid), biophysical (NMR and crystallography) and
cell biological (immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation and
GFP technology) techniques. The ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF)
family of small GTP-binding proteins regulates intracellular
membrane trafficking, which is vital for many cellular functions
such as endocytosis, exocytosis, secretion and neuronal
elongation. ARF inability to be activated has been implicated
in several diseases such as cancer, diabetes and neurological
defects. ARF function is regulated by the controlled binding
and hydrolysis of GTP, which require GTP exchange factors
(GEFs) and GTPase activating proteins (GAPs). The cytohesin
family ARF GEFs and centaurin family ARF GAPs are potential
targets for the plasma membrane localised second messenger
phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), which is
produced by agonist activated PI 3-kinase. Although we know
much about the ARFs associated cellular functions, the
regulation of ARF activity remains to be determined. Our major
interest is in exploring the connections between PIs produced
by PI 3-kinase and membrane trafficking mediated by ARFs.
By tagging proteins with Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) to
visualise their movement in live cells using confocal
microscopy, we have shown the recruitment of ARF regulators
from the cytosol to the plasma membrane in response to PIP3
production. Moreover, we have shown that the plasma
membrane recruitment of cytohesins and centaurins by binding
to PIP3 is essential for their catalytic activity.

Developmental Medicine (Paediatrics/Immunology):
The main research interest of the group is childhood immunity
(particularly immune function in the newborn), studied mainly
by analysis of umbilical cord blood and placental tissue.
Another prominent focus is on probiotics as modulators
of immunity.
Diabetes Research Unit: The recently-formed Diabetes Research
Unit (2005) has a wide range of research interests. These
include the genetics of diabetes (type 1 and type 2) and the
genetics of diabetes complications including protection from
these and prospective follow-up of pre-diabetes. Other areas of
research include the interfaces between clinical diabetes
research and established expertise within Swansea University;
including community-delivered diabetes health care,
engineering-related advances in diabetes care delivery (laser
assessment of the diabetic foot, analysis of exhaled metabolites
during acute diabetic decompensation) and mobile-health
applications. In addition, the Diabetes Research Unit is actively
involved in the expansion of Clinical Trial Research within
Swansea NHS Trust.
Experimental Medicine Unit: The research focus of the
Experimental Medicine Unit is the genetic and immune aspects
of asthma. Areas include: the definition of how genetic
variants in immune signalling predict asthma and low parasitic
worm burdens; deriving an understanding of how these
variants change function and advancing molecular
approaches (including RNA inhibition) as novel therapies for
asthma and allergy.

modelling of gel networks, in terms of their microstructure
and functionality. This work is establishing a basis for the
study of gel network modification, and other mechanical
effects, due to the incorporation of engineered or
combustion-derived carbon nanostructures (such as carbon
nanotubes) as microstructural templates within coagulating
blood. The research builds upon strong collaborative links
established during three years as a principal researcher in
the field of haemorheology within the MNC.
Human Cancer Studies Group: This multidisciplinary group
aims to determine the mechanisms that underlie the genesis of
tumours in the thyroid and the breast, and to identify prognostic
and predictive markers and novel therapeutics. There are four
subgroups: The Chernobyl Tissue Bank (CTB), the Wales
Cancer Bank, Molecular Pathology and Proteomics.
Laser technology and micro devices: Research and
development of medical devices, including laser and optical
devices as well as micro devices for cardiac application, is
led by Professor Marc Clement. This research builds an
intellectual property platform with regulatory approval both
in Europe and the US and, to date, it includes twenty-five
established patent families and fifteen FDA approvals.
Technologies pioneered include photo-stimulation of natural
wound healing processes in skin, cartilage, tendon and
ligaments and non-invasive diagnosis of skin lesions. The
micro engineering of cardiac devices is undertaken in
partnership with the Cardiac Surgery Unit at the John
Radcliffe Hospital and the Texas Heart Institute, Houston.
This involves computer-based simulation of devices, leading
to evaluation in animal models and human trials within
CCTL, and a start-up company formed in 2007 at ILS with
venture capital and grant-funding.
Medical and Clinical Oncology: The research effort on
immunity and cancer focuses on immune modulation as
potential therapy in cancer. Further interdisciplinary research
work is being undertaken looking into complex modelling of
cancer anatomy and radiotherapy, applying diverse
scanning, physics and deep computing approaches.

Genetics: This research area encompasses: environmental
toxicology and mutagenesis, genetic processes in evolution,
genetic epidemiology and taxonomy, molecular basis of
transcription in yeast, microbial genetics of bacteria, yeast
and fungi, site-directed mutagenesis, recombinant protein
expression and protein engineering for diagnostic
applications. Complementary to this well-established grouping
is the genetics of common diseases work in asthma, epilepsy
and diabetes.

Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases: The group
aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of
hospital-acquired infection. Specifically, it is working on the
role of biofilms in the pathogenesis of biomaterial-related
infection occurring with implanted medical devices, which
affects millions of patients worldwide, aiming to improve
antibiotic therapy and develop new diagnostic tools.
Additional interests are antibiotic resistance mechanisms like
methicillin resistance, vancomycin resistance, and extended
spectrum beta-lactamases and the activity of antibiotics on
bacteria in biofilms.

Haemorheology: Research interests within this newly formed
group involve the development and application of advanced
rheometry to biopolymer gel systems; and the viscoelastic

Molecular Neuroscience: The research focus for this group,
led by Professor Mark Rees, is the genetic and cellular biology
of inherited human neurological and cardiac disorders.

Although these seem to be two distinct medical disciplines,
there are commonalities in terms of the ion channel gene
families that cause epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmias. An
increased rate of sudden unexpected death in young people is
a feature of both disorders. The group has several international
collaborations including a project with the University of
Auckland, New Zealand, in relation to Huntingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease
and development of harmless preventive therapies for
neurodegeneration. Other extensive collaborations exist with
centres in Cardiff (UWCM), London and Sydney relating to
the biology of inhibitory neurotransmission, specifically the
glycine and GABA A receptors. The synaptic machinery of
receptors and their interacting molecules is the primary interest
of Dr Kristin Baer, a lecturer on the team. The protein gephyrin,
associated with glycine and GABA A receptors, will be
analysed in the context of neurological disorders with
emphasis on imaging of human brain samples.
Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology: This group
aims to throw light on the interdependence of genes and
behaviour using the methods and techniques of molecular
neuroscience. It aims to better understand the mechanisms
and actions of psychotropic drugs and to develop innovative
treatment strategies. The Molecular Psychiatry and
Psychopharmacology group works closely with the Social
and Epidemiological Psychiatry group to conduct crossdisciplinary research of international quality.
Molecular Neuroscience: The research focus of this group is
the genetic and cellular biology of inherited neurological
and cardiac disorders. There is common ground between
the two medical disciplines in terms of the ion channel gene
families that cause both epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmias.
Medical Devices: Research stems from a broad interest in
innovation and the development of new medical devices.
Since 1998, the focus has been on novel fully closed circuit
gas delivery systems for safe clinical application of the rare
noble gas xenon. This has involved design and build of
equipment for laboratory research and supervision of the
construction of systems for clinical investigations by external
engineering companies. Xenon is a scarce expensive
anaesthetic gas which has few, if any, side effects on the
body. Consequently, initial interest was as an anaesthetic for
very unwell patients. However, more recently, evidence has
been accumulating that xenon may be profoundly
neuroprotective and it is this potential clinical application that
drives current research. In the UK, many thousands of
newborn infants suffer permanent brain injury caused by lack
of oxygen and/or blood supply to the brain around the time
of birth. Until recently, medical management was mainly
supportive as no effective treatments existed. Cooling of
these neonates can improve outcome and this is now
entering clinical use, however, six need to be treated in this
way to produce benefit in one. Since 2005, as part of a
collaboration with the neonatology group at Bristol
University, the potential role of xenon as a clinical damage
limitation strategy in hypoxic-ischaemic encapholopathy of

Medicine

Bioinformatics and Biomathematics: A range of academic
staff are engaged in multidisciplinary studies concerning the
investigation of complex data set including transcriptomic,
proteomic and metabolomic studies in conjunction with
experimental scientists. Statistical/mathematical analysis in
population and evolutionary studies and protein structure
modelling (on a genomic scale) are also aided by the Blue C
supercomputer in Swansea University.

Centre for P450 Biodiversity: Research is primarily
investigating cytochrome P450 systems of bacteria, fungi and
animals. The P450 gene/enzyme system is very diverse,
reflecting the central role it plays in natural product production
for deterrence/attraction and also for detoxification of diverse
organic chemicals in the biosphere. P450s are also targets in
drug therapy. The work of the group includes studies of the
molecular genetics and biochemistry of these systems which
includes studying P450s as drug targets and also azole
antifungal drug resistance. A central current theme is also
determining microbial P450 functions in post-genomic studies
including their roles in primary and secondary metabolism.

www.swansea.ac.uk/medicine

Basic Biomedical and Physiological Science: Molecular,
cellular and integrative mechanisms in mammalian physiology
and pathology are the research focus of a number of
academics within the School. Specific areas of research
include biological clocks and the neurobiological basis of
circadian rhythms, ion channel regulation of microvessel
permeability, bacterial pathobiology, the biology of sports
injury including the role of stem cells in cartilage formation
and repair, and the metabolism of extracellular matrix proteins
in healthy and arthritic musculoskeletal tissue.

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126

Medicine

Neurobiology and Biological Timekeeping: This group, led by
Dr Andrew Coogan, is interested in attempting to delineate
some of the molecular, neurophysiological and anatomical
factors that underpin the circadian timekeeping system in
mammals. Circadian rhythms are recurring patterns in various
physiological parameters that display periods of about 24
hours. In other words, these are things we tend to do at the
same time every day. Examples of circadian rhythms are the
sleep/wake cycles, feeding schedules, cycles in body
temperature and endocrine factors (e.g. cortisol, prolactin).
The group is addressing a number of issues, using a mix of
molecular, electrophysiological, endocrine and behavioural
techniques in order to gain a better insight into clock function
in health and disease.
Reproductive Biology: The group investigates gene expression
and function in the uterus and its relationship to fertility. The
aim is to identify genes and proteins that are essential to the
establishment and maintenance of a healthy pregnancy.
Streptomyces Genetics: Research is aimed at developing
novel genomics-based approaches to exploit hitherto
overlooked genetic resources for new antibiotics. This work
includes the regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis, signal
transduction and antibiotic production. Manipulation of cell
division to optimise antibiotic production is also being
investigated along with developing modified proteins of
clinical and industrial value. The roles of cytochromes P450 in
streptomycete metabolism and in other actinomyctes is another
research focus.
Surgery and the GI tract: The Gastrointestinal Cancer
Group is particularly interested in a pre-malignant form of
oesophageal cancer known as Barrett’s Oesophagus and in
the contribution of bile acids in promoting cancer development
in oesophageal tissues. Dr Gareth Jenkins is also a key
member of the DNA Damage Research Group which
investigates the molecular mechanisms and consequences

of DNA damage.
The broader academic surgical groups also focus on bariatric
surgery in obesity and effective surgical approaches to major
trauma.
Centre for Health Information Research and Evaluation
(CHIRAL)
CHIRAL conducts interdisciplinary research into health
informatics and disease modelling, health promotion and
disease prevention, diagnosis treatment and care. These
themes span the traditional areas of clinical trials,
epidemiology, health service research, health informatics,
public health and qualitative research.

Research Areas
Health Informatics and Disease Modelling: Within these themes
there are research opportunities to work with high-powered
computing to better understand disease processes in populations
through the use of routine information, health and bioinformatics.
The range of activities within these themes includes:
• Biostatistics and mathematical modelling in epidemiology
• Data modelling and visualisation
• Electronic cohort (ecohort) and hybrid cohort studies
• Evaluation of the impact of new policy and services
• Randomised controlled trial (RCT) feasibility studies
• Assessment of the generalisability of trial data
• Trial participant identification and long-term follow-up
• Electronic trials (etrials) research
• Monitoring patient outcomes at a population level
• Analysis of narrative data and qualitative research
• Development of innovation methods for measuring
performance
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: CHIRAL has a
major programme of research into disease prevention
spanning priority disease areas and linked by our shared
methodologies, particularly in diabetes, injury prevention and
mental illness and there are opportunities to undertake
research degrees in developing, implementing and evaluating
effective risk reduction and behaviour change strategies for
common diseases. Projects within this theme include:
• Mental health:
– PUBLIS: Public involvement in suicide prevention:
understanding and strengthening public responses to
distress (MRC)
– BLIS: Barriers to the uptake of healthy lifestyle interventions
among people with severe mental illness (NPRI)
• Injury prevention:
– Department for Transport-funded studies
– The Advocacy in Action Study

• Diabetes and related conditions:
– Assessing the extent of local activity and doctors’ and
nurses’ views of early detection and prevention of type 2
diabetes
– Prosiect Sir Gâr (the Carmarthenshire project)
Diagnosis Treatment and Care: CHIRAL carries out research
and evaluation of treatment and care at practice,
programme and policy levels. Research and evaluation are
undertaken across all clinical and service disciplines,
focusing on the assessment of health technologies and
service delivery and organisation within health and social
care. We are establishing a clinical trials unit with new
appointments to be made in 2008 and exciting new
research opportunities. Recent and current projects include:
• CONSTRUCT: COmparison of New drugs (infliximab and
ciclosporin) in STeroid Resistant Ulcerative Colitis: Trial
• SAFE: A trial of Support and Assessment for Fall
Emergencies.
• FOLATED: Folate Augmentation of Treatment Evaluation for
Depression: Randomised Controlled Trial (FOLATED RCT)
• MINuET: What is the clinical and cost-effectiveness of
endoscopy undertaken by nurses?
• LADA: Research on Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults
• Time trends and demography of mortality after fractured
neck of femur in an English population, 1968-98:
database study
• Hospital admission for acute pancreatitis in an English
population, 1963-98: database study of incidence and
mortality

• DUETs: a Database of Uncertainties about the effects of
Treatments for Schizophrenia

Entry requirements
All candidates whose first language is not English
are expected to pass one of the following English
Language Tests:
• IELTS test at grade 6.5
• TOEFL test score of 570/230
MPhil
Applicants for the MPhil degree should normally
possess: an honours degree in a relevant subject
(normally at least a lower second-class); or an approved
and relevant postgraduate qualification; or other
evidence of previous study and research.
PhD
Applicants for the PhD degree should normally possess: a
first degree or a good honours degree in a relevant
subject (normally at least an upper second-class). All PhD
candidates will initially be admitted to the MPhil degree,
and required at the end of the first year to demonstrate
evidence of satisfactory progress and an ability to
proceed to PhD. Applicants for the MD degree should
normally possess: a Bachelor of Medicine or Surgery of
the University of Wales awarded at least three years prior
to the submission of the thesis. (Approval to admit medical
graduates of another approved university should be
sought at the admission stage).

Medicine

Nanoimaging and Toxicology: Shareen H Doak is an RCUK
Fellow in Nanomedicine with specific research interests in
genotoxic responses to engineered nanomaterials and
developing the use of high resolution imaging and force
measurement tools to study the biophysical properties of
cancer cells at the nanoscale. She is a member of the DNA
Damage Research Group and also has established
collaborations with the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology
Centre in the School of Engineering through Dr Chris Wright
and Dr Peter Dunstan.

www.swansea.ac.uk/medicine

the newborn has been investigated. This work is showing that
the xenon-cooling combination is better than either one alone.
All the equipment, gas supply systems and monitoring required
for this work, which it is hoped will result in a clinically viable
treatment, have been constructed using the knowledge and
skills personally gained in the fieId and which continues to
provide regular technical input as these delivery systems are
continually developed and improved.

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128

Medicine

129

The course is fully integrated, with each week based on a
clinical problem. After an introductory session, this problem will
be explored using group tutorials, lectures and seminars. From
the first week, this theoretical framework will be used to perform
clinical skills in the laboratory using actors and simulations. In
the later years, an increasing amount of time will be spent on
the wards. Students will be able to choose from a long list of
half-day clinical attachments throughout the course.

Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine
MB BCh (Wales)
A101 Medicine (subject to approval)
4-year programme
The Graduate Entry Programme in Medicine at Swansea was
launched in 2004 in partnership with Cardiff University and
has rapidly established itself as an outstanding programme of
learning. The programme is now a fully independent four-year
course based entirely in Swansea and west Wales that
enables graduates of any discipline to learn the scientific and
clinical principles of medicine, using state-of-the-art equipment
and cutting-edge teaching methods. It combines an innovative
case-based curriculum with the input from enthusiastic and
committed researchers and clinicians.
Applications must be submitted to UCAS by 15th October
2008.

Scheme of study
The course is fully integrated with all the necessary teaching
and learning designed to lead the student on a journey; from
exploring simple clinical problems as a novice, through
repeated cycles of learning and practice, to the development
of a knowledgeable, skilled and professional doctor.
The four-year course will be based in Swansea University, and
surrounding healthcare providers. Students will rotate through
a series of learning weeks and clinical attachments. Exposure
to real and simulated patients will start during the first week
and continue through regular, half-day, full-day and five-week
clinical attachments.

These learning weeks will be interspersed with a variety of
other activities:
• Attachment to a Primary Care centre to see patients and
gain experience of a variety of medical problems
• 5-week clinical attachments where students will be
embedded in a healthcare team to work alongside other
staff and gain experience of how health care is really
delivered
• Professorial weeks will be delivered by staff from the Institute
of Life Science, a new research facility in Swansea
University, which will expose students to the latest research
methods and findings
• An elective period in the third year will allow students to
choose to visit almost any part of the world and a final
‘Shadowing’ period will allow the final honing of skills prior
to starting work as a qualified doctor
• Each year will include a long-term project to work with other
professions and explore the issues of interprofessional
learning
Each student will be allocated a personal tutor on arrival to
provide support and advice on both academic and personal
matters.
The academic staff delivering this programme are drawn from
a variety of backgrounds, including experienced clinicians
(general practitioners, hospital specialists and public health
practitioners), biomedical scientists and social scientists. They
will guide you through this interdisciplinary and integrated
programme, in order to provide you with the best possible
learning experience.
Many of the patients that students will meet, especially during
clinical attachments in west Wales, will have Welsh as their
first language. For this reason, there is an emphasis on
assisting non-Welsh speaking students to at least have some
familiarity with the language and its origins. Their attention is
drawn to the Welsh Assembly Government’s package ‘Iechyd
Da!’ – an introduction to language awareness in health care.
Students who are Welsh-speaking are provided with
opportunities to enhance their technical vocabulary in the
context of the clinical consultation. The School has already
been awarded a Welsh Assembly Government prize for the
first in a series of recordings of teaching consultations
involving Welsh-speaking students, consultants and patients.

Funding
As a graduate-entry medical student from England or Wales,
you are eligible to receive a student loan in Year 1, and
from Year 2 onwards you may apply to the NHS Student
Grants Unit for a means-tested bursary to support you in your
studies. Throughout the programme, you may apply to the
University for extra funding in times of hardship.

Prospects
Upon graduation you will be offered a rotational year on the
Foundation Year Programme in Wales. After this, you will be
able to specialise in and practise whatever area of medicine
or surgery that excites you, with the full range of foundation
knowledge and skills required to be amongst the top in your
field. Further information and course brochures are available
from our website at www.medicine.swansea.ac.uk

Entry Requirements
To be eligible to apply to the programme, you must be a home
student, which includes UK and EU residents. You must apply
through UCAS and sit the GAMSAT test to be eligible to apply.
You must also have at least an upper second-class degree (or
equivalent) in any subject, Maths and English Language at
GCSE level (or equivalent) and preferably some GCSE or postGCSE level (or equivalent) experience in Biology or Chemistry.

Swansea University offers part- and fully-funded scholarships
annually on a competitive basis for home and EU students.
Overseas candidates may be eligible for funding from other
bodies, details of which may be obtained from the University
International Office, The Wales Office of Research and
Development for Health and Social Care, NHS national
research programmes, the National Assembly of Wales, the
Research Councils, the European Commission, charitable
bodies, and industrial collaborators have all supported
research projects.

www.swansea.ac.uk/medicine

Financial Support

130

Physics

131

The experimental groups have a low-energy positron beam
together with a high-field superconducting magnet for the study
of positronium, a number of CW and pulsed laser systems,
scanning tunnelling electron and near-field optical microscopes
and a Raman microscope.
The theory group has a 72 CPU parallel cluster, access to the
Blue C facility at Swansea University and is part of the
UKGRID. Furthermore, it has an extensive network of
workstations and PCs linked to the University network and
SuperJANET. It also shares the use of the teraflop QCDOC
facility based in Edinburgh.
There are additional computer systems for online use in the
research and teaching laboratories.

Research
The degrees of MPhil and PhD can be obtained through
supervised research in any of the research areas described
below.
As well as work within the Department, the research activities
outlined below involve considerable collaboration with other
establishments and organisations, including the European
Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, the
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Didcot, the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology as well as many universities and
institutes in Europe and the United States. The three research
areas are:
Atomic, Molecular and Laser Physics
This group, consisting of twelve academic staff and headed
by Professor Michael Charlton, has diverse research interests
spanning small scale lab research to large scale experiments:
• Antihydrogen physics: Members of the group have been
part of the successful ATHENA collaboration and are
founding members of the new ALPHA collaboration. The
research is mainly done in CERN in Geneva, although
theoretical studies are carried out locally. The ultimate goal
is to test CPT symmetries by comparing transitions in
hydrogen and antihydrogen. A number of postgraduate
students have been seconded for a period of two years or
more to work on this experiment.

• Low-energy positron physics: At Swansea, a unique lowenergy positron beamline capable of producing bursts of about
100,000 positrons at a rate of 10 Hz has been constructed.
This will be used to investigate positronium energy levels and
magnetised Rydberg positronium. Furthermore, attempts will be
made to cool positrons to mK temperature using laser cooled
Mg+ ions. Typically two or three postgraduate students will be
working on this experiment.
• Neutrino mass: Recently it has been discovered that neutrinos
have non-zero mass. Swansea is part of a large multinational
collaboration called KATRIN (Karlsruhe TRItium Neutrino
experiment) which aims to make an absolute mass
determination by making a precise measurement of the
beta-decay spectrum of tritium near its endpoint. Postgraduate
students will spend part of their time in Karlsruhe.
• Ultra-fast atomic and molecular physics: In collaboration
with groups from UCL and QUB, ultra-fast effects in atoms
and molecules are studied using femtosecond lasers. Most
of this work is done at the Astra Laser Facility at the
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Didcot. Postgraduate
students will share their time between Didcot and Swansea.
• Ultracold atoms and degenerate quantum gases: In
collaboration with Imperial College, we have worked on
confining and manipulating cold atoms and Bose-Einstein
Condensates in microtraps on atom chips. We develop single
atom detection techniques using micro-optics. The small
detectors are scalable and are used to study the properties of
quantum gases. The micro-detectors can also be applied to
quantum information processing using neutral atoms.
• Theoretical studies of cold atoms: In collaboration with an
experimental group at Umeå University in Sweden, the
properties of atoms in near-resonant optical lattices are
researched. Subject studies are for example Brownian
motors, understanding of the so-called Sisyphus mechanism
and properties of ultracold few-atom systems.
Condensed Matter and Nanoscale Physics
Led by Dr Peter Dunstan, this group is interested in the
fundamental understanding of the electronic, structural,
chemical and optical properties of materials on the nanoscale.
Of particular current interest are applications of near-field
scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), which can produce

Financial Support
Theoretical Particle Physics
Professor Graham Shore leads one of the largest theoretical
particle physics groups in the UK and Europe. Its work is
aimed at an understanding of the fundamental particles of
nature and their interactions.
The work focuses on quantum field theories and their
manifestation in particle physics and cosmology. This entails
not only some of the most sophisticated areas of modern
mathematics but also numerical simulations using powerful,
special-purpose computers.
Research encompasses many different areas, all closely
connected, making Swansea a perfect research environment:
• Gauge theories (supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric),
especially in the areas of non-perturbative methods and
electromagnetic duality
• String Theory methods to gain understanding on topics
such as Black Holes dynamics, as well as the use of stringinspired methods to get new results on strongly interacting
gauge theories for different values of the relevant
parameters, such as the number of colours, etc.
• The use of string-inspired methods to compute processes of
fundamental importance in collider physics, and to gain
new valuable information on the high energy structure of
quantum field theories of gravity
• Lattice gauge theories to study QCD (the theory of quarks
and gluons), in particular under extreme conditions of
temperature and baryon density; formal elaborations on
quantum field theories with large number of colours and
new physics effects in this context; algorithmic
developments to improve the efficiency of new specialpurpose computers
• New developments regarding the study of the Quark
Gluon-Plasma thought to exist at high temperature
(interestingly, this has close connections to the Black Hole
research mentioned above)
• Considerations on well-known symmetries and their
possible breaking, obtaining new insights into the structure
of physics laws at high energies
• The study of the Physics proposed to be found ‘Beyond the
Standard Model', mostly in the area of the Supersymmetric
Standard Model and different dynamical scenarios of
electroweak symmetry breaking, such as technicolour theories

Support for research students is available through the EPSRC
and STFC, the European Union, Swansea University
Postgraduate Awards and industry.
The Theoretical Particle Physics Group has three STFC-funded
PhD studentships available each year. The Experimental
Groups have EPSRC and Leverhulme studentships available.
Departmental research attracts considerable support from the
EPSRC, STFC, European Union, Medical Research Council,
the Royal Society, Atomic Energy Authority, Ministry of
Defence, HEFCW, British Council, Leverhulme Trust, NATO
and the Welsh Office, through grants for equipment and the
support of research staff.

Entry Requirements
Usually at least a first-class BSc or 2.1 MPhys degree
(experiment) or a first-class MPhys degree (theory) in Physics
or a related subject is required, although all applications are
reviewed on an individual basis.

In addition to well-equipped general laboratories and
workshops, the Department hosts specialist equipment.

These are the main lines of research in the Department, but
we could add applications to theories of quantum gravity,
particle cosmology, and condensed matter systems. The
newly discovered relations among these different topics
makes Swansea one of the leading Theoretical Physics
groups in Europe. The group has close connections with
other leading groups in Europe, USA and Asia.

www.swansea.ac.uk/physical_sciences

Physics, within the School of Physical Sciences, concentrates on three main research areas:
atomic, molecular and laser physics, condensed matter and nanoscale physics and theoretical
particle physics. The Department was awarded the grade of 5A in the 2001 Research Assessment
Exercise, indicating that all staff members are active in research of international standing.

simultaneous topographic and optical response information
with nanoscale resolution. Recently, a new collaboration has
begun with the School of Medicine to research the possibility
of early pathogen detection using Raman Microscopy. The
group is part of the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre
and thus postgraduate students will have the opportunity to
perform research of an interdisciplinary nature and exploit
techniques from other disciplines.

132

Politics and International Relations

133

Politics and International Relations is part of a dynamic
postgraduate learning environment. The School of Humanities
provides up-to-date computing facilities and a common room for
all registered postgraduate students. The University Library has
extensive holdings of teaching and research materials in the
areas covered by our Master’s schemes and research topics.

MA in International Communication
The MA in International Communication offers advanced
research in International Relations and Media Studies,
providing students with a detailed understanding of the
international news media, the relationship between media and
politics and issues such as war-reporting.

We organise various conferences, seminars and workshops at
which leading members of the profession, as well as our own
research students, give presentations. The Department
organises a programme of regular visiting speakers from
outside the University so that postgraduate students are always
kept in touch with the latest developments in our field.

MSc in Contemporary Conflict and Violence
Provides students with a detailed understanding of the role of
conflict in modern international politics, in conflict resolution
and the linkages between humanitarian and military action.

Taught Courses
Each of the taught MA schemes listed below follows a
common format, with specific core modules, plus options
taken from a wide menu. In addition, general modules are
taken by all Master’s students, including Conceptual Issues in
the Social Sciences and a dissertation (inclusive of a
preparatory module in dissertation writing).
MA in Politics
The MA in Politics provides a broad introduction to the study
of Politics, covering both the structures and processes of
contemporary politics. Issues covered include democracy and
citizenship, government and politics in the UK, and the politics
of human rights.
MA in International Relations
Examines the key issues and actors in international relations
and alternative ways of analysing and interpreting the subject.
MA in Global Politics and Intercultural Studies
Offers advanced interdisciplinary research, providing students
with a detailed understanding of the international system and
the significance of intercultural relations in global politics.
MA in International Security
This MA scheme includes the study of economic,
environmental, political and societal dimension of security as
well as traditional issues such as war and violence.

MSc in Social Research
This scheme, which has been granted RT (Research Training)
status by the Economic and Social Research Council, provides
advanced training in the range of research methods used in
the social sciences.

Research

Financial Support

We welcome applications with research proposals in any
area in which the Department has research and teaching
expertise as below:

We can submit candidates for the Swansea University
Postgraduate Studentships. Please contact the Department for
information on these and other Departmental bursaries for fulltime MA/MScEcon candidates.

• Political Theory: including domestic and international
political and moral philosophy; liberalism and its critics;
culture and politics; democracy and democratisation;
post-structuralism; political theory and the media
• British Government: including Welsh politics; devolution
and local government; politics of New Labour; political
communication
• International Politics: including conflict studies; strategic and
security studies; arms control and nuclear security;
globalisation; South-East Asia; the Middle East; space
policy; children and international relations
Potential applicants are invited to contact the Department
informally to discuss their proposals. All courses may be taken
on a part-time basis.

International Students
The Department welcomes applications from international
students. All postgraduate students in Politics and
International Relations are assigned a personal tutor, and
students also have access to language courses provided
within the University.

Academic/research staff

13

Postgraduates

50

Taught courses
MA in Politics
MA in International Relations
MA in Global Politics and Intercultural Studies
MA in International Security
MA in International Communication
MSc in Contemporary Conflict and Violence
MSc in Social Research
Research opportunities
MPhil/PhD

Entry Requirements
We welcome students from a range of backgrounds, with a
range of qualifications, and from all over the world. In general,
you will have a good undergraduate degree in Politics,
International Relations or a cognate subject. But we will consider
your application on the basis of your merits and your commitment
to postgraduate study.
PhD applicants are normally required to have completed a
Master’s course which has included research training appropriate
for the proposed thesis project. The Department will provide
training as necessary for research students in their probationary
year. Part-time students are fully encouraged to study with us.

Part of the School of Humanities, Politics and International Relations was set up in the late 1950s
and was well-known initially for its work in the fields of political theory and governance. More
recently International Relations, Security Studies and the politics of the media have been added to
these existing strengths. As well as providing extensive coverage of mainstream Politics and
International Relations, members of staff possess unique expertise in areas such as the politics of
outer space, children and war, and political rhetoric.

134

Psychology

135

Taught Courses
MSc in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology
This MSc programme is designed to equip students with an
advanced understanding of issues relating to the theory and
practice of psychology in healthcare settings. The course does
not provide a professional qualification, but will help prepare
students who intend applying for professional training courses
in clinical psychology. Applicants should be aware that in
addition to further academic study, experience of working with
relevant client groups will be beneficial when applying for
professional training.
Course modules include: developmental disorders, the history
of abnormal psychology, adult affective disorders, adult
psychotic disorders, personality disorders, clinical research
methods and statistics, eating disorders, somatoform disorders,
health promotion, theory and practice.
Teaching will be in the form of seminars, small group lectures
and practical classes. Assessment is by written coursework,
examination, and a research thesis on a topic related to
clinical psychology.
MSc in Behaviour Analysis
The MSc in Behaviour Analysis is one of only a handful of
such courses in Europe. This unique course aims to teach
students the basic principles of behaviour and their application
to problems of social importance in various applied and
clinical settings. Methods of research design, behavioural
observation, functional assessment, and empirical evaluation
of behavioural interventions is taught through a combination
of lectures, seminars and practicals. The course is approved
by the behaviour Analyst Certification Board (see www.bach
.com) as meeting the coursework requirements
to apply for eligibility to become a Board Certified Behaviour
Analyst (BCBA™). Applicants will need to meet additional
requirements in order to qualify. Obtaining a professional,
internationally recognised certification in behaviour analysis
is something that employers are increasingly insisting upon.
Applicants need not have an undergraduate degree in
psychology, but are expected to show a commitment to
behaviour analysis.

MSc in Research Methods in Psychology
The aim of this programme is to provide students with the
advanced training in research methods that will prepare them
for a career involving psychological research. Training is
provided in all relevant skills, including reviewing literature,
developing hypotheses, writing research proposals, designing
and carrying out empirical studies, conducting advanced
statistical and qualitative analyses, and presenting results.
Students learn to use a range of research tools, such as
databases, statistical software and computer-assisted
qualitative analysis packages.
Teaching is in seminars, small group lectures, and practical
classes, and is assessed primarily by written coursework, and
reports of empirical projects carried out individually, and in
groups. By the end of this training, students will have acquired
a wide range of practical research skills. They will have
gained an understanding of the nature and limitations of the
scientific method and the main alternatives. In addition, they
will have knowledge of a range of general historical,
theoretical, and philosophical issues underlying the discipline
of psychology, including the Philosophy of Science.

Research
Students working full-time towards a research degree will have
the opportunity to attend taught courses on research methods
and statistics. Research Students are expected to attend the
Departmental Research Seminar series and are encouraged to
disseminate their own research findings both at national and
international conferences. Postgraduate students are provided
with office space, personal computing facilities and access to
technical support.
The Department has four strong research groups reflecting the
research interests of members of staff.
• Psychology Applied to Health and Medicine: coping with
health threat; interventions in medical settings; nutrition, obesity;
body image; addiction and craving; occupational stress
• Learning and Behaviour: autism and early interventions;
schizophrenia; personality; reward sensitivity theory; animal
behaviour; relational frame theory

Financial Support
The Department has proven success in attracting research
funding from the ESRC, the European Union, the Health and
Safety Executive, the Leverhulme Trust, the Nuffield
Foundation, the British Academy, the Wellcome Trust, the
Welsh Assembly Government, BAE Systems, and the EPSRC.

Entry Requirements
A minimum of an upper second-class degree in Psychology or
a related discipline is required. Where English is not the first
language, the Swansea University required score in tests of
English is required. For applicants to the MSc in Research
Methods in Psychology, evidence of a commitment to a
subsequent career in a research setting is desirable.

The Department has an international reputation in research, and is rated ‘Excellent’ for teaching.
Psychology is part of the School of Human Sciences and has extensive laboratory space, excellent
facilities, and good links with hospitals and education. The Department is a member of the
Welsh Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience in partnership with Bangor and Cardiff Universities.
Psychology at Swansea has a dynamic and diverse group of postgraduate students who are
central to the research ethos of the Department. The Department is accredited by the ESRC
as a postgraduate training outlet.

136

Sports Science

Sports Science

All courses are modular. In Part I (120 credits), students study
for a combination of core and optional (where appropriate)
modules. Part II consists of a dissertation (60 credits). At the
completion of Part I, a student is eligible for the award of
Postgraduate Diploma (PgD). Candidates who successfully
complete half of Part I (60 credits) are eligible for the award
of Postgraduate Certificate (PgC). The degree of MSc is
awarded following the successful completion of Parts I and II.
MSc in Sports Science
The course is intended for graduates of sports science or
related subjects. The purpose of the course is to enhance the
career prospects of those who are directly or indirectly
concerned with promoting participation and/or enhancing
performance in sport. In general, graduates go on to work in
the areas of sports science support, physical activity and
health promotion, and sport development and coaching. The
course will also equip students for further study, especially a
MPhil/PhD research degree in a related discipline.
Students are required to complete compulsory taught modules
in research methods and optional modules in specialist
subjects, including Physiology, Nutrition, Health-related
exercise, Kinanthropometry, Psychology, Biomechanics and
Injury prevention.
MSc in Sports Science with Management
This course is also intended for graduates of sports science or
related subjects. The course is designed for those students who
want to study sports science and specific areas of management.
The aim of the course is to enhance the career prospects of those
who are directly or indirectly concerned with promoting
participation and/or enhancing performance in sport. In general,
graduates go on to work in the areas of sports management and
administration, sport development and coaching.
The course is offered jointly by the SESRC and the School of
Business and Economics. Students are required to complete
compulsory taught management modules in Financial
accounting, Strategic management, Human resources
management, and Management theory and practice, together

with taught modules in research methods, and a choice of
modules from the MSc Sports Science catalogue.
MSc in Strength and Conditioning (subject to validation)
This course provides the opportunity for advanced study in the
field of Strength and Conditioning. The course is designed for
graduates of sports science or related subjects who wish to
enhance both their theoretical and applied knowledge and
gain practical experience in the specific field of Strength and
Conditioning. The programme is delivered by staff with
extensive research experience in the application of Strength
and Conditioning principles to international athletes and teams
(e.g. Welsh Rugby Union, Ospreys Rugby, Swansea City
AFC, and British Swimming). The course is delivered using the
latest research and technology with organised guest speakers
working within the field (e.g. Welsh Rugby Union, Ospreys
Rugby). On completing this course, students will be eligible to
sit the internationally recognised professional qualification
offered by the National Strength and Conditioning Association
and will also be equipped to apply for United Kingdom
Strength and Conditioning Association accreditation.
Students complete modules in Strength and Conditioning: Theory
and Practice, Physiology of sports performance, Biomechanics of
strength and conditioning, and supervised experience.
MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology (subject to validation)
This programme is intended for applicants interested in
working as sport and exercise psychology consultants in
applied sport and exercise settings, and/or wish to pursue
doctoral work in sport and exercise psychology. This MSc
programme is currently seeking accreditation by the British
Psychological Society (BPS) to form Stage 1 of the training
requirements towards Chartered Status as a Sport and
Exercise Psychologist with the BPS. If applicants are graduates
of a BPS accredited undergraduate psychology degree that
confers Graduate Basis of Registration (GBR) then they will be
eligible to enrol on the BPS accredited pathway.
The course comprises modules delivered from both the SESRC
and the Department of Psychology. Students are required to
complete compulsory modules in Sport psychology, Exercise

psychology, Social psychology of sport and exercise,
Reflective practice (work-based learning), Research methods
and statistics, and a choice of two options in Clinical and
Abnormal psychology.

Research
The main areas of research in the SESRC are exerciserelated enhancement of health, and the enhancement of
sport performance. Expertise is largely within the three
disciplines of physiology, psychology, and biomechanics,
with an increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary research.
National and international collaborative research links are
well established with a number of universities and
organisations within industry. Sources of externally-funded
research include the Welsh Office for Research and
Development, Diabetes UK, the Sugar Bureau, and the
Welsh Rugby Union. In 2005, Swansea University was a
founder member of the Welsh Institute for Sport, Health and
Exercise Sciences (WISHES) whose aim is to promote
research in all areas of sport, health and exercise science
through collaboration between the Welsh universities.

Entry Requirements
A first-class or upper second-class honours degree in Sports Science
or a related subject would normally be expected for entry to
postgraduate study (research and taught courses). However, all
applications are considered on an individual basis.

The focus of sport, physical activity and health-related research at Swansea is the Sport and
Exercise Science Research Centre (SESRC). The SESRC was established in 2001 with the
objective of undertaking research in sport and exercise science of international excellence for the
benefit of society. The SESRC has excellent laboratories for biomechanics, exercise physiology,
sport psychology, motor learning and notational analysis with state-of-the-art equipment.
All courses are research-led and taught by British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences
(BASES) and British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited staff.
Taught courses

Some of our departments have fixed
closing dates for their taught
programmes and/or research
degrees. Please see the individual
departmental entries for details.
Applicants for other courses are
advised to apply early (by 31 July, in
year of intended study, if possible) to
ensure that vacancies are still
available. For general information
see: www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions

The Admissions Office directs
applications to the relevant
department for consideration and
decision. When we receive your
application we will write to
acknowledge this and to inform
you of your student number. Please
ensure that you quote this in all
communications with the Admissions
Office. Ensuring that your application
is complete and legible will help the
speed of the admissions process.
The decision will also depend on
the references supporting your
application and you should try to
ensure that these are sent to the
University as quickly as possible.

Entry Requirements

Candidates should normally possess,
or expect to obtain, an appropriate
honours degree or higher degree of
a British university or an equivalent
qualification. Please see the course
entries for subject requirements.
English Language Entry
Requirements
If your first language is not English,
you will be required to provide
evidence of your competence in
English. An IELTS score of 6.5
or a TOEFL score of 570, (or
approximately 230 in the computerbased test or 88 in the internet-based
test), is normally acceptable for all
studies. However, some departments
will accept an IELTS score of 6.0
(or equivalent).
The University's English Language
Training Services provide presessional English Language courses.
Further information:
Tel: +44 (0)1792 295391
Email: elts@swansea.ac.uk
www.swansea.ac.uk/elts

You should note that formal offers are
only made by the University's
Admissions Officer, following
recommendations from the relevant
academic department. Offer letters
contain full details of the terms under
which the offers are made, together
with any conditions.
Details of how to apply for University
accommodation will be sent to
full-time candidates with their
offers of admission.
If you do not meet the precise
conditions of the University's offer,
your application will be reconsidered
in light of available vacancies and
it may still be possible to confirm your
place. If your application is
unsuccessful and you wish to request
that your case be reconsidered,
you should write direct to the
Admissions Officer.

Information about the enrolment
process will be sent to you in
advance of the start of your study.
Enrolment for taught courses usually
takes place in late September.
Enrolment for research degrees
usually takes place in late September
and April. Students are required to
comply with the University's
enrolment procedures and observe
the University's General and
Academic Regulations:
www.swansea.ac.uk/registry.
Admissions Policy

Our admissions policy is to encourage
the enrolment of students who have
the potential to acquire a broad range
of complex, new skills; to master an
extensive body of advanced
knowledge and, above all, to undergo
a period of rigorous, intellectual
development culminating in the award
of a University qualification.
The University welcomes applications
and enquiries from people regardless
of age, ethnic or national origins,
race, religion, gender, sexual
preference, marital status, family
responsibility, physical or sensory
disability, and political or religious
beliefs and activities unless those
activities are unlawful or contrary to
the policies of the University.

When considering a candidate's
suitability for admission, the people
delegated with the task of
recommending students for admission
will pay due regard, as appropriate, to
previous academic performance; prior
experiential learning; availability (or
lack) of suitable learning opportunities
and resources; current courses of study;
assessments by referees, educational
psychologists or medical practitioners;
records of achievement; evidence of
commitment and motivation; quality of
written work; performance at interview
or under examination conditions.
The selectors shall also take into
account the candidate's ability to
contribute to the cultural, sporting
or social life of the University and
the community.
We recognise that although they may
well satisfy some or all of its criteria
for selection, certain candidates may
have to be denied admission because
of the intensity of competition for a
limited number of places.

Thousands of Swansea’s past students enjoy the many
benefits of the University’s Alumni Association by
registering online at www.alumni.swansea.ac.uk

You can keep in touch with your old friends by using the
Buddy Board, and set up or join a Chapter to continue
socialising with other Swansea graduates!

Keeping you up-to-date with news and events locally and
across the globe, this website also provides information on
services and merchandise.

It’s all free-of-charge and takes just a few minutes to register.
For further information contact the Alumni Office on
+44 (0)1792 295156 or email alumni@swansea.ac.uk

We look forward to welcoming you back…

This prospectus is issued as a guide to prospective students wishing to enter Swansea University in 2009 and does not form part of
any contract. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of printing.
However, you should note that the University reserves the right to introduce changes in fees, regulations and services and the establishment,
modification or withdrawal of courses and degree schemes at any time and without notice.